Cyclopropane structural units from homoaldol adducts.

[reaction: see text] An efficient two-step homologation of aldehydes to cyclopropylaldehydes has been developed. Activation of homoaldol adducts derived from O-enecarbamates and N-enecarbamates provided high yields of cyclopropylaldehydes with good to excellent levels of trans/cis selectivity. Trapping of the intermediate oxonium ion and iminium ion intermediates has also been demonstrated, leading to direct isolation of cyclopropyl carbinol and cyclopropylamine products.