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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Facile Preparation of (2Z,4E)-Dienamides by the Olefination of Electron-deficient Alkenes with Allyl Acetate
Published on: June 21, 2017
Direct catalytic asymmetric addition of allyl cyanide to ketones
Ryo Yazaki1, Naoya Kumagai, Masakatsu Shibasaki
1Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
Abstract:
A direct catalytic asymmetric addition of allyl cyanide to ketones with a bimetallic catalytic system comprising (R,R)-Ph-BPE/[Cu(CH(3)CN)(4)]ClO(4)/LiOAr is described. Exclusive gamma-addition of allyl cyanide was observed, affording optically enriched tertiary alcohols bearing Z-configured alpha,beta-unsaturated nitriles. The reaction proceeded under proton-transfer conditions, utilizing soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base bifunctional catalysis. The applicability of the reaction to aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic ketones demonstrates its wide substrate generality.
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