Stereo- and regiocontrol in ene-dimerisation and trimerisation of 1-trimethylsilyl-3-phenylcyclopropene

1-Trimethylsilyl-3-phenylcyclopropene and its 2D-analog undergo a highly stereocontrolled ene-reaction to give a single dimer. Further reaction leads to one or more trimers derived through two ene-reactions. The dimer formed easily undergoes cycloaddition with active dienes and nitrile oxides while the trimers do not react under the same conditions. The first enantioselective example of an ene-reaction of cyclopropene derivatives using optically active 1-trimethylsilyl-3S-phenylcyclopropene is also discussed.