Alkene metathesis approach to β-unsubstituted anti-allylic alcohols and their use in ene-yne metathesis

J Org Chem. 2012 Feb 3;77(3):1599-604. doi: 10.1021/jo202398q. Epub 2012 Jan 12.

Abstract

The synthesis of β-unsubstituted, anti-allylic alcohols using a catalytic Evans aldol reaction conjoined with a relay-type ring-closing alkene metathesis is reported. The metathesis step serves to remove a β-alkenyl group, which facilitated the aldol step. The β-substituted enals serve as acrolein surrogates. The products were employed in ene-yne cross metathesis.