Allylation of the radical generated from alpha-silyl-alpha-phenylselenoacetic esters with various allyltributyltin substrates led to good yields of the corresponding homoallylsilanes. A study on the nature of the radical thus generated was performed using comparative allylation rates with electronically different allyltributyltin compounds. Finally, these homoallylsilanes were converted into the corresponding homoallylic-1,2-diols after reduction of the ester function and oxidation of the C-Si bond.
An efficient synthesis of α-(alkoxysilyl)acetic esters by SiH insertion of carbenes, generated by rhodium catalyseddecomposition of diazoacetic esters, followed by nucleophilic displacement of Cl by ROH has been developed. Alkylation of these α-silyl carbonyls followed by Tamao oxidation of the CSi bond allow an easy access to terminal diols.