Enantioselective one-pot catalytic synthesis of 4,5-epoxy-3-alkanols and 1-Phenyl-2,3-epoxy-1-alkanols from α,β-unsaturated aldehydes

Conformationally restricted perhydrobenzoxazines have been demonstrated to be good chiral ligands for one-pot asymmetric ethylation/epoxidation, and the unprecedented arylation/epoxidation of trisubstituted α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. The scope of the reaction has been studied and a wide set of substrates with allylic strain of different nature has been explored, obtaining good or total diastereoselectivities in all cases. The enantiocontrol was good or high for the ethylation/epoxidation reaction, whereas it remained at moderate or good levels for the arylation/epoxidation. The reaction is general for trisubstituted enals, and alkylic and aromatic substituents are tolerated at both the α- and β-position of the unsaturated aldehyde; however, disubstituted enals remain challenging substrates. When the one-pot and two-pot protocols were compared, no significant differences concerning the stereocontrol were found, so the advantages of the one-pot procedure are clear.