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Updated: May 9, 2026

Facile Preparation of (2Z,4E)-Dienamides by the Olefination of Electron-deficient Alkenes with Allyl Acetate
Published on: June 21, 2017
Catalyst-controlled C-O versus C-N allylic functionalization of terminal olefins
Iulia I Strambeanu1, M Christina White
1Roger Adams Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
Abstract:
The divergent synthesis of syn-1,2-aminoalcohol or syn-1,2-diamine precursors from a common terminal olefin has been accomplished using a combination of palladium(II) catalysis with Lewis acid cocatalysis. Palladium(II)/bis-sulfoxide catalysis with a silver triflate cocatalyst leads for the first time to anti-2-aminooxazolines (C-O) in good to excellent yields. Simple removal of the bis-sulfoxide ligand from this reaction results in a complete switch in reactivity to afford anti-imidazolidinone products (C-N) in good yields and excellent diastereoselectivities. Mechanistic studies suggest the divergent C-O versus C-N reactivity from a common ambident nucleophile arises due to a switch in mechanism from allylic C-H cleavage/functionalization to olefin isomerization/oxidative amination.
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