Cyclooctanone synthesis via a formal [6+2] cycloaddition reaction of a dicobalt acetylene complex

An efficient formal [6+2] cycloaddition reaction of a new six-carbon unit with enol silyl ether was developed on the basis of a dicobalt hexacarbonyl propargyl cation species. Under the influence of EtAlCl2, 6-benzoyloxy-2-(triisopropylsilyloxy)-1-hexen-4-yne-dicobalthexacarbonyl reacted with enol triisopropylsilyl ethers to yield 7-(triisopropylsilyloxy)-3-cyclooctyn-1-one-dicobalthexacarbonyl derivatives in good yield. The reactions with cyclic enol silyl ethers as well as acyclic enol silyl ethers exhibited remarkably high diastereoselectivity.