Palladium-Catalysed Construction of All-Carbon Quaternary Centres with Propargylic Electrophiles: Challenges in the Simultaneous Control of Regio-, Chemo- and Enantioselectivity

Kenny, Miles, Schröder, Sybrin P., Taylor, Nicholas J., Jackson, Paula, Kitson, Daniel J., Franckevičius, Vilius

Index: 10.1055/s-0036-1591957

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Abstract

This article describes the palladium-catalysed three-component coupling of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with nucleophiles and propargylic electrophiles for the generation of quaternary all-carbon centres in a single step, which necessitates the simultaneous control of regio-, chemo- and enantioselectivity. The use of propargyl enol carbonates, the source of two of the components, was found to be essential in maintaining high levels of regiocontrol and chemoselectivity, whereas a careful analysis of pK a trends of O-, C- and N-nucleophiles as the other coupling partner indicates that the highest levels of selectivity are likely to be obtained with relatively acidic species, such as phenols, 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and aromatic N-heterocycles. Finally, studies towards the development of the catalytic enantioselective construction of quaternary all-carbon centres by means of alkenylation and allylic alkylation are disclosed.