Palladium‐Catalyzed Formation of Cyclic Ethers – Regio‐, Stereo‐ and Enantioselectivity of the Reaction

An efficient and stereoselective synthesis of 3‐alkyl‐3‐hydroxymethyl‐5‐vinyltetrahydrofurans is described by the Pd 0 ‐catalyzed cyclization of the methyl carbonates of ω,ω‐bis(hydroxymethyl)‐α,β‐unsaturated alcohols. The use of chiral ligands gave the corresponding THF derivatives in low to moderate enantiomeric ratios. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)