Asymmetric Allyl- and Crotylboration with the Robust, Versatile, and Recyclable 10-TMS-9-borabicyclo[3.3.2]decanes

Abstract

The remarkable versatility and selectivity of the 10-(trimethylsilyl)-9-borabicyclo[3.3.2]decanes (10-TMS-9-BBDs) in the allyl- and crotylboration of representative aldehydes are reported. The new reagents are prepared through air-stable crystalline pseudoephedrine borinic ester complexes of the 10-TMS-9-BBDs (4), which are available in 63% overall yield from B-MeO-9-BBN through a simple two-step procedure. These complexes 4 are directly converted to the corresponding B-allyl-10-TMS-9-BBDs (1) with allylmagnesium bromide, which either can be isolated (98%) or used in situ for the allylations. The remarkable enantioselectivity (96 to ≥99% ee) of these reagents in the rapid (B-crotyl-10-TMS-9-BBDs (10) from optically pure enantiomers of B-MeO-10-TMS-9-BBD (3). These reagents 10 also add rapidly (<3 h) and efficiently to representative aldehydes at −78 °C, providing ready access to all four of the possible stereoisomers of the β-methyl homoallylic alcohols 12−15 (69−92%) in high dr (≥98:2) and ee (94−99%).