Enantioselective Intramolecular Openings of Oxetanes Catalyzed by (salen)Co(III) Complexes: Access to Enantioenriched Tetrahydrofurans

The catalytic enantioselective intramolecular ring-opening of oxetanes with alcohols is catalyzed by (salen)Co(III) complexes. Either a monomeric or oligomeric catalyst can be used successfully in this transformation, providing 3-substituted tetrahydrofurans in both high yield and enantioselectivity. This methodology extends the range of electrophiles that can be activated toward highly enantioselective addition reactions by (salen)metal catalysts to an important new class.