Abstract
α,β-Epoxysilanes have been shown to be useful synthetic intermediates2 for the preparation of carbonyl compounds3 and stereoisomerically-pure olefins4 and heteroatom-substituted olefins5 (vinyl bromides,5 enol acetates,5 enol ethers,5 enamides,5 and vinyl mesylates6). In many of their reactions, α,β-epoxysilanes serve as stereospecific vinyl cation equivalents;4–6 therefore methods to prepare stereoisomerically-pure α,β-epoxysilanes are of considerable importance. Although other methods for preparing α,β-epoxysilanes have recently been developed,7 the only general method for preparing stereoisomerically-pure α,β-epoxysilanes is epoxidation of the corresponding vinylsilanes.