The direct preparation of functionalised cyclopropanes from allylic alcohols or a-hydroxyketones using tandem oxidation processes

New manganese dioxide-mediated tandem oxidation processes (TOPs) have been developed, which facilitate the direct conversion of allylic alcohols and α-hydroxyketones into polysubstituted functionalised cyclopropanes. In the simplest version, the oxidation of an allylic alcohol is carried out in the presence of a stabilised sulfurane, and the intermediate α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound undergoes in situ cyclopropanation. By using a combination of stabilised phosphorane and sulfurane, the direct conversion of allylic alcohols or α-hydroxyketones into functionalised cyclopropanes is achieved, with in situ cyclopropanation being followed by Wittig olefination, or vice versa. The application of these methods to a formal synthesis of the lignan (±)-picropodophyllone, and to novel analogues of the insecticide allethrin II, is described.