No abstract

The regioselective ring opening of 2-aryl-substituted four-membered heterocyclic rings with phenols, including catechol, was achieved by the use of aryl borates in mild and neutral reaction conditions without the aid of any transition metal catalysts. While N-alkyl azetidines were found not to be reactive, optically active N-tosyl azetidines gave the corresponding beta-aryloxy amines in a racemic form, thus indicating the considerable carbocationic character of the transition state. The introduction of a hydroxyl group in the azetidine ring (i.e., an azetidinol), able to anchor the aryl borate and to direct the subsequent nucleophilic delivery, was shown to determine the ring-opening process with predominant inversion of configuration. When enantiomerically enriched 2-aryl oxetanes were used, the reduced extent of racemization observed (up to 93:7 er) was rationalized by an intramolecular delivery through a six-membered transition state, giving beta-aryloxy alcohols with a predominant retention of configuration (i.e., a syn-stereoselective ring opening). The aryloxy alcohols obtained, endowed with suitable functionalities, can be cyclized to give access to enantiomerically enriched 2-aryl-1,5-benzodioxepins.

A mild ring opening of vinyl epoxides and aziridines with B(2)Pin(2) catalyzed by Ni(0)-Binap affords new functionalized allylic boron derivatives which undergo sequential transformations. The uncatalyzed allylation of aldehydes allows obtaining challenging bishomoallylic alicyclic 1,3-diols and 1,3-amino alcohols with remarkably high stereoselectivities. Valuable trans-bisallylic 1,4-amino alcohols can be obtained by a simple oxidation.

A conceptually new, simple and practical method for the syn-nucleophilic displacement of aryl and vinyl epoxides and aryl aziridines with (substituted) phenols, using aryl borates as activating nucleophiles under neutral conditions, is reported.

The first successful asymmetric transfer of rhodium-alkynyl species to symmetrical strained alkenes has been realized starting from bicyclic hydrazines and alkynylboronic esters.