An efficient asymmetric synthesis of trans-4,5-disubstituted γ-butyrolactones from aldehydes and enantioenriched γ-carbamate alkenylboronates is reported. The cornerstone of this strategy is the implementation of sequential [3,3]-allyl cyanate rearrangement/allylboration/nucleophilic addition/cyclisation reactions. Diverse γ-butyrolactones such as the flavouring compounds, (+)-trans-whiskey lactone and (+)-trans-cognac lactone, as well as an advanced intermediate towards the first synthesis of natural products, (−)-nicotlactone B and (−)-galbacin, have thus been obtained.

[3,3]-Sigmatropic rearrangement of isoprenyl azides has been extensively investigated in an experimental and theoretical level. Prenylazides with different chain lengths and phenyl prenylazide have been synthesized. NMR analysis of each azide has been made to determine the equilibrium composition, showing the predominance of primary allyl azides over the tertiary ones and E over Z isomer, regardless of the chain length, temperature, solvent or the regiochemistry of the precursor isoprenyl alcohol. It was determined that phenyl prenylazides do not experience [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement. In order to rationalize the experimental results and to gain insight in the mechanism of the [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of prenylazides a theoretical study was performed using density functional theory and the QTAIM approach.

We have studied the Diels–Alder reactions of pinacol alkenylboronates with cyclopentadiene under two different sets of conditions: thermal heating at 170 °C in a pressure tube and with catalytic TFA (5 mol%) at 80 °C. Yields varied significantly from system to system and also for the uncatalyzed and catalyzed methodologies. Moderate to excellent exo-stereoselectivities were obtained in all cases. The theoretical study of the thermal reactions sheds some light on the intriguing substituent effects observed experimentally. A variety of substituted 5-norbornen-2-ols were easily generated by subsequent in situ oxidation of the cycloadducts with alkaline hydrogen peroxide.