Homologation of Boronic Esters with Lithiated Epoxides for the Stereocontrolled Synthesis of 1,2- and 1,3-Diols and 1,2,4-Triols

Lithiated epoxides react stereospecifically with boronic esters to give syn-1,2-diols, a process that can be used iteratively to create triols containing four stereogenic centers.