Catalytic diastereoselective tandem conjugate addition-elimination reaction of Morita-Baylis-Hillman C adducts by C-C bond cleavage

Abstract

Through the cleavage of the C-C bond, the first catalytic tandem conjugate addition-elimination reaction of Morita-Baylis-Hillman C adducts has been presented. Various SN2′-like C-, S-, and P-allylic compounds could be obtained with exclusive E configuration in good to excellent yields. The Michael product could also be easily prepared by tuning the β-C-substituent group of the α-methylene ester under the same reaction conditions. Calculated relative energies of various transition states by DFT methods strongly support the observed chemoselectivity and diastereoselectivity. © 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH&Co. KGaA, Weinheim.