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Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Efficient Construction of Drug-like Bispirocyclic Scaffolds Via Organocatalytic Cycloadditions of α-Imino γ-Lactones and Alkylidene Pyrazolones
Published on: February 7, 2019
Enantioselective organo-SOMO cascade cycloadditions: a rapid approach to molecular complexity from simple aldehydes
Nathan T Jui1, Esther C Y Lee, David W C MacMillan
1Merck Center for Catalysis at Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.
Abstract:
A highly selective, radical-mediated (4 + 2) coupling reaction of aldehydes and conjugated olefins has been achieved through asymmetric SOMO-catalysis. A radical-polar crossover mechanism is proposed wherein olefin addition to a transient enamine radical cation and oxidation of the resulting radical furnishes a cation which is vulnerable to nucleophilic addition. A range of aromatic aldehydes are shown to couple with styrenes and dienes to provide cyclic products with high chemical efficiency, regioselectivity, and stereoselectivity.
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