Abstract Cyclic α-iodoenones and α-triflyloxyenones, but not α-bromoenones, smoothly react with alkenylzinc and related derivatives in the presence of a catalytic amount of a palladium- phosphine complex, such as Pd (PPh 3) 4 or Cl 2 Pd (PPh 3) 2 treated with n-BuLi (2 equiv), to give α-alkenylenones which can be conjugately reduced to the corresponding α-alkenyl ketones with complete retention of both enone regiochemistry and alkenyl stereochemistry.
