Enantioselective Organocopper-Catalyzed Hetero Diels-Alder Reaction through in Situ Oxidation of Ethers into Enol Ethers.

We disclose a catalytic method for the enantio- and diastereoselective union of alkyl ethers and heterodienes. We demonstrate that a chiral Cu-BOX complex catalyzes the efficient oxidation of ethers into enol ethers in the presence of trityl acetate. Then, the organocopper promotes stereoselective hetero Diels-Alder reaction between the in situ generated enol ethers and β,γ-unsaturated ketoesters, allowing for rapid access to an array of dihydropyran derivatives possessing three vicinal stereogenic centers.