Chemistry Letters, Vol.40, No.9, 1044-1046, 2011
Mechanistic Insight into the Anomalous syn-Selectivity Observed during the Addition of Allenylboronates to Aromatic Aldehydes
The reaction of enantioenriched allenylboronate 3a (98% ee) with benzaldehyde gave homopropargylic alcohol syn- and anti-4b with anomalous syn addition selectivity (anti:syn = 29:71) and high cc (98% and 97%, respectively). The stereochemical outcome in terms of the absolute configuration shows that this reaction proceeds through a cyclic transition state. Density functional theoretical (DFT) calculations were carried out to elucidate the mechanism of this anomalous syn-selectivity.