Practical asymmetric approach to medium-sized carbocycles based on the combination of two Ru-catalyzed transformations and a lewis acid-induced cyclization

Ruthenium-catalyzed coupling of allyl ethyl ether to optically active 1-trimethylsilyl-1-alkyn-3-ols, followed by in situ ketalization and Lewis-acid-induced cyclization, affords enantiomerically pure 1,5-oxygen-bridged eight- and nine-membered carbocycles. Opening of the oxygen bridge under basic or electron transfer conditions provides optically pure medium-sized carbocycles, products that are difficult to construct using other currently available methodologies.