Borinate, enol enolate geometry

Boron enolates (other names are vinyloxyboranes, enol borinates, or boron enol ethers) are often employed in the aldol reaction because they show higher stereoselectivity than alkali and magnesium enolates. Extensive developmental work in this area has been carried out by Evans, Masamune and Mukaiyama, and their respective coworkers. - - The correspondence between enolate geometry and aldol stereochemistry is exceptional (Z)-enolates give syn/erythro aldol products, whereas ( )-enolates give anti/threo aldol products, albeit with slightly lower selectivity. 

Reaction C in Fig. 4 is an aldol condensation between an achiral aldehyde and an ester enol borinate featuring a bidentate chiral substituent at the boron atom [24]. Upon enolate-boron/aldehyde-oxygen co-ordination, two chair-like TS can be formed, both featuring the aldehyde phenyl group in a pseudo-equatorial position. Preferential attack on the aldehyde Si face is determined by the spatial arrangement of the metal ligand. The almost exclusive formation of the anti diastereoisomers arises from control of the enolate geometry. 

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