Diols Activation by Cu/Borinic Acids Synergistic Catalysis in Atroposelective Ring‐Opening of Cyclic Diaryliodoniums

Abstract A Cu‐catalyzed enantioselective ring‐opening alkoxygenation reaction of cyclic diaryliodonium salts and diols in the presence of borinic acids was reported. Tuning structure of borinic acids with six or five‐membered ring skeleton could selectively activate 1,2‐diols or 1,4‐diols. A catalytic cycle through a key ion pair model that accounts for the observed enantioselectivity was proposed.