Boron-Catalyzed Regioselective Deoxygenation of Terminal 1,2-Diols to 2-Alkanols Enabled by the Strategic Formation of a Cyclic Siloxane Intermediate

The selective deoxygenation of polyols is a frontier in our ability to harness the stereochemical and structural complexity of natural and synthetic feedstocks. Herein, we describe a highly active and selective boron-based catalytic system for the selective deoxygenation of terminal 1,2-diols at the primary position, a process that is enabled by the transient formation of a cyclic siloxane. The method provides an ideal complement to well-known catalytic asymmetric reactions to prepare synthetically challenging chiral 2-alkanols in nearly perfect enantiomeric excess, as illustrated in a short synthesis of the anti-inflammatory drug (R)-lisofylline.