Stereospecific Synthesis of Cyclobutylboronates through Copper(I)-Catalyzed Reaction of Homoallylic Sulfonates and a Diboron Derivative

A copper(I)-catalyzed stereospecific reaction for the preparation of cis- and trans-1-silyl-2-borylcyclobutanes as well as 1-phenyl-2-borylcyclobutanes is reported. (Z)- and (E)-Homoallylic methanesulfonates were converted to the corresponding trans- and cis-cyclobutane derivatives, respectively, in the presence of a CuCl/dppp catalyst, bis(pinacolato)diboron, and K(O-t-Bu)/THF. Stereospecific derivatizations of the cis- and trans-borylcyclobutanes were carried out to demonstrate the utility of the borylcyclobutanes.