Formation of chiral quaternary carbon stereocenters using silylene transfer reactions: enantioselective synthesis of (+)-5-epi-acetomycin.

Chiral quaternary carbon stereocenters can be established with high diastereoselectivity by a silylene transfer/Ireland-Claisen rearrangement. The utility of this method was demonstrated by application to a synthesis of (+)-5-epi-acetomycin. [reaction: see text]