Asymmetric methoxyselenenylation of alkyl vinyl ethers: a new route to chiral acetals

The asymmetric methoxyselenenylation of alkyl vinyl ethers afforded the corresponding chiral acetals with moderate to good diastereoselectivity. This reaction and subsequent deselenenylation provided a new method of preparing enantiomerically enriched acetals in which the acetal carbon was the only stereogenic center.