Efficient access to enantioenriched cyclic homopropargylic alcohols through an unprecedented cobalt-catalyzed asymmetric alkynylation of oxabicyclic alkenes has been developed. By using inexpensive cobalt salt/chiral bisphosphine ligand as the catalyst and easy-to-handle potassium alkynyltrifluoroborates as the nucleophile, synthetically valuable homopropargylic alcohols are obtained in moderate to good yields and high enantioselectivities.
Key words
cobalt catalysis - ring-opening - alkynylation - desymmetrization - oxabicyclic alkenes