A radical carbon-carbon bond construction approach to chiral a branched ami
nes is presented. Stereocontrolled radical addition to chiral hydrazones ca
n be achieved by virtue of conformational constraints imposed during cycliz
ations using a temporary silicon connection. Oxidative removal of the tethe
r completes the hydroxymethylation process to afford anti-2-hydrazino-1,3-d
iols in good yield. The 1,2-induction increases with increasing A values of
the appended groups, consistent with prediction by the Beckwith-Houk model
for stereocontrol in 5-hexenyl radical cyclizations.