Organoselenium mediated asymmetric cyclizations. Synthesis of enantiomerically pure 1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nonanes

The asymmetric cyclization of 1-hydroxyoct-7-en-4-one, promoted by camphorselenenyl tetrafluoroborate, generated from camphor diselenide and silver tetrafluoroborate in dichloromethane at room temperature, afforded a mixture of two diastereoisomeric E- and two diastereoisomeric Z-2-[(camphorseleno)methyl]-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nonanes. These were separated by medium pressure liquid chromatography and then deselenenylated with triphenyltin hydride and AIBN to give enantiomerically pure 2-methyl-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nonanes. The camphorseleno group was also substituted by an allyl function using allyltributyltin in the presence of AIBN.