Sakurai reaction of 3,3-bis(silyl) silyl enol ethers with acetals involving selective desilylation of the geminal bis(silane). Concise synthesis of nematocidal oxylipid.

3,3-Bis(silyl) silyl enol ethers have been shown to exhibit predominantly Sakurai reactivity, rather than Mukaiyama aldol reactivity, in their Lewis acid promoted reactions with acetals. Starting from a geminal bis(silyl) moiety consisting of two different silyl groups, such as SiMe(3) and SiMe(2)Ph, the SiMe(3) is selectively eliminated to give monoprotected E- vinylsilyl diols with good to excellent syn-diastereoselectivity. This reaction also underpinned a synthesis of the nematocidal oxylipid from Notheia anomala, demonstrating the attractive bifunctionality of geminal bis(silanes).