Highly enantioselective mukaiyama aldol reactions catalyzed by a chiral oxazaborolidinium ion: total synthesis of (-)-inthomycin C.

A cationic oxazaborolidinium-catalyzed asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reaction of (1-methoxy-2-methyl-propenyloxy)-trimethylsilane with various aldehydes including α,β-disubstituted acroleins has been developed in high yields and enantioselectivities. The synthetic utility of this methodology was demonstrated in the first short synthesis of naturally occurring inthomycin C in high enantiopurity.