FeCl3-catalyzed tandem Prins and Friedel–Crafts cyclization: a highly diastereoselective route to polycyclic ring structures

Catalytic FeCl3 in the presence of 4 Å molecular sieves has been shown to effect highly diastereoselective tandem Prins and Friedel–Crafts cyclization of substituted (E/Z)-6-phenylhex-3-en-1-ol and a variety of aldehydes to provide a range of polycyclic compounds in good to excellent yields. The reaction of an enantioenriched alcohol with an aldehyde provided the cyclization product without loss of optical activity. Furthermore, a Lewis acid catalyzed ring opening resulted in functionalized tetralin derivatives with multiple chiral centers.