Brønsted acid-mediated ring-opening reactions of methylenecyclopropanes: a dramatic counter ion effect

We report herein two different ring-opening patterns of methylenecyclopropanes (MCPs) in the presence of two Brønsted acids heptadecafluorooctane-1-sulfonic acid (C8F17SO3H) and toluene p-sulfonic acid (TsOH) under mild conditions: (a) the ring-opening of MCPs by H2O and subsequent etherification give the corresponding homoallylic ethers in the presence of heptadecafluorooctane-1-sulfonic acid; (b) the direct ring-opening of MCPs by the Brønsted acid gives the corresponding homoallylic alcohol derivatives in the presence of toluene p-sulfonic acid.