Overriding effect of temperature over reagent and substrate size for boron-mediated aldol reaction of methyl phenylacetate

The enolization temperature overrides all other aspects, including the sterics of the alkyl group of the boron reagent and the alkoxy group of the ester during the enolboration–aldolization of phenylacetates. This study has led to the first n-Bu2BOTf-mediated anti-selective aldol reaction of an ester.