An alkyne hydrosilylation-oxidation strategy for the selective installation of oxygen functionality

Alkynes bearing propargylic, homopropargylic, and bishomopropargylic hydroxyl groups are shown to serve as precursors for ketone or alpha-hydroxy ketone functionality. The approach hinges on the intermediacy of vinylsilanes created through regioselective hydrosilylation catalyzed by the complex [(CpRu)-Ru-*(MeCN)(3)]-PF6. Several oxidative pathways of linear and cyclic vinylsilanes are studied, and the possibility of diastereoselective epoxidation of cyclic vinylsilanes is demonstrated. The sequences constitute the equivalent of stereoselective aldol, homo-aldol, and bishomo-aldol type processes. The method is applied to a short synthesis of the piperidine alkaloid, spectaline.