PdII‐Catalyzed Spiroketalization of Ketoallylic Diols

A high-yielding stereoselective method for forming spiroketals from simple ketoallylic diols is reported. Employing catalytic [PdCl2(MeCN)2] in THF at 0 °C, these dehydrative cyclization reactions require only mild conditions to produce vinyl-substituted spiroketals in high yields after brief reaction times with water as the only byproduct. Using this method, the stereochemical information embedded at the nucleophile is transmitted “down-the-chain” and efficiently sets the stereochemistry at both the anomeric carbon atom and the newly formed allylic stereocenter.