Enantioselective Bromocycloetherification by Lewis Base/Chiral Brønsted Acid Cooperative Catalysis

A binary catalyst system for the enantioselective bromocycloetherification of 5-arylpentenols is described. The combination of an achiral Lewis base and a chiral Brønsted acid affords good enantioselectivities for the cyclization of Z configured 5-arylpentenols to form bromomethyltetrahydrofurans. The constitutional site selectivity is highly dependent upon the aromatic substituent and the configuration of the double bond.