title: Lewis acid catalyzed allylboration: discovery, optimization, and application to the formation of stereogenic quaternary carbon centers.
abstract: A full account of the development of the first catalytic manifold for the additions of allylboronates to aldehydes is described. The thermal additions (both diastereospecific and enantioselective) of 2-carboxyester 3,3-disubstituted allylboronates 1 to both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes give biologically and synthetically important exo-methylene butyrolactones 2 containing a beta-quaternary carbon center. Although the thermal reaction requires 14 d at room temperature to reach completion, the presence of certain metal salts allows for a 12-16 h reaction while preserving the diastereospecificity observed in the uncatalyzed process. Preliminary mechanistic studies on the origin of the catalytic effect are described as well as stereoselective transformations of lactones 2 into cyclic and acyclic stereotriads with potential usefulness as synthetic intermediates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Gunning-Lemieux Chemistry Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada.
authors.forename: Jason W J
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Dennis G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Hall