A catalytic allylic cation-induced intermolecular allylation-semipinacol rearrangement

Chem Commun (Camb). 2018 Jul 14;54(55):7685-7688. doi: 10.1039/c8cc04285c. Epub 2018 Jun 25.

Abstract

A catalytic intermolecular semipinacol rearrangement induced by allylic carbocations has been realized. This tandem reaction is highly efficient under the catalysis of ZnBr2, generating a wide range of α-homoallyl substituted ketones which contain all-carbon quaternary centres in good to excellent yields (up to 98%) with moderate to high diastereoselectivities (up to >20 : 1). Synthetic application of this novel methodology in the construction of core structures of natural products is also reported.