Directed ortho,ortho'-dimetalation of hydrobenzoin: Rapid access to hydrobenzoin derivatives useful for asymmetric synthesis

Organocatalytic, enantioselective synthesis of benzoxaboroles via Wittig/oxa-Michael reaction Cascade of α-formyl boronic acids

An unprecedented enantioselective synthesis of 3-substituted benzoxaboroles has been developed. An in situ generated ortho-boronic acid containing chalcone provides the chiral benzoxaboroles via an asymmetric oxa-Michael addition of hydroxyl group attached to the boronic acid triggered by the cinchona alkaloid based chiral amino-squaramide catalysts. In general, good yields with good to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99%) were obtained. The resulting benzoxaboroles were converted to the corresponding chiral β-hydroxy ketones without affecting the enantioselectivity.

5,5-Dimethyl-2,8-diphenyl-5H-dibenzo[b,f]silepine: a synchrotron study

The molecule of the title silepine compound, C28H24Si, lies on a crystallographic general position but has almost exact mirror symmetry. The seven-membered silepine ring has a boat conformation, with a fold angle of 99.99 (9)° between the C—C=C—C stern and the C—Si—C prow. The planes of the phenyl substituents are rotated by 32.23 (6) and 31.80 (7)° out of the planes of the respective fused benzene rings. Similar folded conformations are found for other dibenzo[b,f]silepines, while analogous dibenzo[b,f]borepines, in which the B atom can participate in conjugation, have a more flattened heterocyclic ring.