The reaction of lithium trialkylalkynylborates with oxiranes : γ-Hydroxyketone synthesis and stereoselective preparation of trisubstituted ethylenes

Lithium trialkylalkynylborates (1) react with oxiranes (2) to give non-isolable intermediates 3 which subsequently afford either γ-hydroxyketones 5, trisubstituted ethylenes of homoallylic alcohol type 6 or a tetrasubstituted ethylene 7 upon appropriate treatment with NaOH/H₂O₂, AcOH or NaOH/I₂, respectively. The reaction of oxiranes with 1 proceeds in high regioselectivity and the resulting homoallylic alcohols 6 are of nearly 100% (E) configuration. A straight chain γ-hydroxyketone 16 is obtained in the reaction of methyloxirane with the ate-complex (1), which has been prepared from lithium acetylide ethylenediamine complex and trihexylborane.