The Cloke–Wilson rearrangement of aroyl-substituted donor–acceptor cylopropanes containing arylethyl donors

Abstract

The chemistry of donor–acceptor (D–A) cyclopropanes containing alkyl donors has been scantily investigated. In the present work, we have synthesized new D–A cyclopropanes containing arylethyl donors and explored their reactivity in the presence of Lewis acids. Upon treatment with SnCl₄, these cyclopropanes underwent the Cloke–Wilson rearrangement to yield 3,4,5-trisubstituted γ-butyrolactones in good yields with high diastereoselectivity.