Catalysis and chemodivergence in the interrupted, formal homo-Nazarov cyclization using allylsilanes.

A chemodivergent, Lewis acid catalyzed allylsilane interrupted formal homo-Nazarov cyclization is disclosed. With catalytic amounts of SnCl4 and in the presence of allyltrimethylsilane, a formal Hosomi-Sakurai-type allylation of the oxyallyl cation intermediate is observed. A variety of functionalized donor-acceptor cyclopropanes and allylsilanes were shown to be amenable to the reaction transformation and the allyl products were formed in up to 92% yield. Under dilute reaction conditions with stoichiometric SnCl4 and at reduced temperatures, an unusual formal [3 + 2]-cycloaddition between the allylsilane and the oxyallyl cation occurred to give hexahydrobenzofuran products in up to 69% yield.