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Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Facile Preparation of 2Z,4E-Dienamides by the Olefination of Electron-deficient Alkenes with Allyl Acetate
Published on: June 21, 2017
Site-Specific and Degree-Controlled Alkyl Deuteration via Cu-Catalyzed Redox-Neutral Deacylation
Xukai Zhou1, Tingting Yu1, Guangbin Dong1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States.
Abstract:
Deuterated organic compounds have become increasingly important in many areas; however, it remains challenging to install deuterium site-selectively to unactivated aliphatic positions with control of the degree of deuteration. Here, we report a Cu-catalyzed degree-controlled deacylative deuteration of diverse alkyl groups with the methylketone (acetyl) moiety as a traceless activating group. The use of N-methylpicolino-hydrazonamide (MPHA) promotes efficient aromatization-driven C-C cleavage. Mono-, di-, and trideuteration at specific sites can be selectively achieved. The reaction is redox-neutral with broad functional group tolerance. The utility of this method has been demonstrated in forming a complete set of deuterated ethyl groups, merging with the Diels-Alder reaction, a net devinylative deuteration, and the synthesis of the d2-analogue of Austedo.
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