Efficient syntheses of secondary and tertiary 2-aryl- and 2-heteroaryl-allyl alcohols

The efficient syntheses of secondary and tertiary 2-aryl- and 2-heteroaryl-allyl alcohols have been undertaken. The alcohols are products of the reactions between ketones and aldehydes with alpha-aryl, alpha-heteroaryl and alpha-heteroatom-substituted masked alkenyllithiums. An aryl or heteroaryl has been substituted at the beta position and aryl, heteroaryl or alkyl substituents in the alpha position via a (1,4)-C-->O silicon rearrangement. The allylic alcohols form stable trimethylsilyl ethers and cleave at the O-Si bond under basic or acidic conditions.