Study on the coupling of acyclic esters with alkenes--the synthesis of 2-(2-hydroxyalkyl)cyclopropanols via cascade cyclization using allylsamarium bromide.

The radical cyclization between aliphatic acyclic esters and alkenes was achieved unprecedentedly in the presence of allylsamarium bromide with HMPA and H(2)O as additives. The cascade radical cyclization-ring-opening-anionic cyclization allowed facile and efficient access to 2-(2-hydroxyalkyl)cyclopropanols from readily available materials.