Triflic acid-catalyzed additions of 2-alkoxycarbonyl allylboronates to aldehydes. Study of scope and mechanistic investigation of the reaction stereochemistry

The substrate scope and the effect of substrate on the observed inversion of stereoselectivity in the triflic acid-catalyzed allylboration reaction between 2-alkoxycarbonyl allylboronates and aldehydes are presented. A mechanistic investigation is described so as to confirm the involvement of a carbocation intermediate as the source of stereochemical inversion. This methodology allows a facile access to beta,gamma-disubstituted five-membered ring lactones with an exo-methylene at the alpha-position.