Mukaiyama aldolisation reactions of α,β-epoxyaldehydes in aqueous media

The Mukaiyama aldolisation reaction in aqueous media of cis and trans α,β-epoxyaldehydes with tert-butyldimethylsilyl ketene acetal in the presence of Lewisʹs acids was studied. Sc(OTf)3 gave the best results in terms of selectivity. The same reaction of cis and trans α,β-epoxyaldehydes with the enoxysilane of ethyl pyruvate resulted in epoxy substituted ulosonic derivatives issued from a double sequential condensation of the pyruvate on the epoxy derivatives.