Palladium-catalyzed annulation reactions for diastereoselective cyclopentene synthesis.

Palladium-catalyzed annulation reactions of conjugate acceptors and allenyl boronic ester provide substituted cyclopentenes in high yields and, where applicable, diastereoselectivities. This method provides rapid assembly of building blocks for natural product synthesis, including polycyclic lactone and lactam products. Reactions are hypothesized to initiate by conjugate addition of a nucleophilic propargylpalladium complex.

Palladium-catalyzed conjugate allylation reactions of alpha,beta-unsaturated N-acylpyrroles.

Conjugate allylation reactions of alpha,beta-unsaturated N-acylpyrroles using allylboronic ester are catalyzed by a palladium complex that is ligated by a bidentate N-heterocyclic carbene. A variety of functional groups are tolerated, and substrates functionalized with electron-withdrawing groups react to afford the highest yields of products. Regioselectivity for 1,4-allylation over 1,2-allylation is demonstrated, and mechanistic experiments are consistent with formation of nucleophilic allylpalladium intermediates.