Regio- and stereocontrol in rhenium-catalyzed transposition of allylic alcohols.

ABSTRACT

A hydroxyl group-directed, highly regio- and stereoselective transposition of allylic alcohols based on rhenium catalysis has been developed. The method is suitable for a direct isomerization of acetals into the thermodynamically preferred isomer as long as one of the hydroxyl groups is allylic. This method will expand the scope of rhenium-catalyzed alcohol transpositions for complex molecule synthesis.