3-Chloropropenyl pivaloate in organic synthesis: the first asymmetric catalytic entry to syn-alk-1-ene-3,4-diols

The first asymmetric catalytic synthesis of syn-alk-1-ene-3,4-diols was developed; the regio-, diastereo- and enantioselective addition of 3-chloropropenyl pivaloate to aldehydes was made possible by exploiting Salen–Cr(II) species, in a catalytic version of the Nozaki–Hiyama–Kishi reaction.