Diastereoselective Michael Initiated Ring Closure on Vinyl Sulfone-Modified Carbohydrates: A Stereospecific and General Route to α-Substituted Cyclopropanes

Suitably designed vinyl sulfone-modified furanosides act as substrates for Michael initiated ring closure reactions yielding cyclopropanated carbohydrates. The strategy is general in nature and gives access to cyclopropanes with predefined chiralities on three consecutive carbons with varying substitutions at the α-position.