Novel enantioselective synthesis of 1,3-butadien-2-ylmethanols via tandem alkylbromide-epoxide vinylations using dimethylsulfonium methylide.

The treatment of chiral trans-disubstituted and trisubstituted 2,3-epoxy-1-bromides with an excess of dimethylsulfonium methylide 1 affords the corresponding 1,3-butadien-2-ylmethanols in good to excellent yields via a double one-carbon homologation.