Enantioselective C-C Bond Cleavage Of Cyclobutanols

The cleavage of the carbon-carbon bond of cyclobutanols was recently reported (Nishimura T et al, J Am Chem Soc, 1999, 121, 11010) and could be a useful way of preparing functionalised ketones. The method has now been extended by the introduction of an asymmetric version which allows introduction of chirality to a carbonyl group (Nishimura T et al, Chem Commun, 2002, 50).