Search

An efficient method for alkyl–allyl cross-coupling between ethers and a 9-BBN-derived allylborane catalyzed by indium(i) triflate has been developed. The allylborane proved to be essential to obtain the desired products in high yields. The reaction displayed good substrate scope including high functional group tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have recently uncovered a general indium(I)-catalyzed method for allylations and propargylation of acetals and ketals with a water- and air-stable allyl boronate. By using a more reactive allyl borane, we have successfully extended this methodology to the more challenging C-C coupling with ethers. Herein, we report an improved methodology for the indium(I)-catalyzed allylation of acetals and ethers, through combination of the allyl boronate with a commercially available "hard" Lewis acid, B-methoxy-9-BBN (BBN=borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane), as an effective co-catalyst. Significantly, our work highlights for the first time the correlation between the Lewis acidity of "electrophilic" boron-based compounds and their "nucleophilic" reactivity in Csp(3)-Csp(3) couplings, catalyzed by a "soft" low-oxidation main group metal. In addition, we also report several applications of these methodologies to the selective synthesis of various carbohydrate derivatives., (Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)