TiCl4-mediated aldol reactions of chiral methyl α-silyloxy ketones with a variety of aldehydes provide the corresponding 1,4-syn aldol adducts with moderate to high stereocontrol. This transformation represents a new approach to substrate-controlled acetate aldol reactions and complements the 1,4-anti asymmetric induction produced by the related α-benzyloxy ketones. This new approach could be useful
Good levels of 1,4-syn asymmetric induction are obtained in the TiCl4-mediated aldol reaction of methyl α-silyloxy ketones with achiral aldehydes. Such methodology represents a new approach to the substrate-controlled acetate aldol reaction, which can be useful to design more efficient syntheses of natural products.