Diastereoselective Synthesis of 2‐Aryl‐3‐vinyl‐2,3‐dihydrobenzo[<i>b</i>]furans through a Sakurai Reaction: A Mechanistic Proposal

Abstract

The condensation of 2,3-dihydrobenzoxasilepins with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of boron trifluoride to form 2,3-dihydrobenzofurans shows a level of diastereoselection which is a function of the electronic nature of the aldehyde and the polarity of the solvent. The study of the mechanism of the reaction demonstrated that it proceeds through a ring-opened allylfluorosilane, which is stable enough to be isolated and characterized.