The enantioselective synthesis of both isomers of ar-himachalene has been achieved starting from enantiomerically pure citronellal and p-methyl alpha-methyl styrene as an application of a chiral pool and chirality induction approach, respectively. The key reactions involved in the synthesis include the Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation for the induction of chirality at benzylic carbon bearing the methyl group and the use of a hypervalent iodine reagent or trimethylsilyldiazomethane (TMSCHN2) for the six to seven membered ring expansion. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.