Ring-Strain-Enabled Catalytic Asymmetric Umpolung C-O Bond-Forming Reactions of 1,2-Oxazetidines for the Synthesis of Functionalized Chiral Ethers.

An unprecedented catalytic asymmetric umpolung C-O bond-forming reaction of N-nosyl 1,2-oxazetidines with β-keto esters has been achieved in the presence of a chiral phase-transfer catalyst, allowing access to a range of highly functionalized chiral ethers bearing quaternary and no adjacent stereogenic centers with high yields, excellent enantioselectivities, and diastereoselectivities (up to 97% ee and 20:1 dr). These versatile products could be flexibly transformed into biologically important chiral fused and spiro morpholines in two steps.