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Updated: Jul 5, 2025

Facile Preparation of 2Z,4E-Dienamides by the Olefination of Electron-deficient Alkenes with Allyl Acetate
Published on: June 21, 2017
β-Alkenylation of Saturated N-Heterocycles via a C(sp3)-O Bond Wittig-like Olefination
Ángel A Nolasco-Hernández1, Leticia Quintero1, Silvano Cruz-Gregorio1
1Centro de Investigación de la Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), 14 Sur Esq. San Claudio, Col. San Manuel, 72570 Puebla, México.
Abstract:
Although the C-Hα functionalization of N-heterocycles is, in fact, an easy chemical transformation, the C-Hβ functionalization is, on the contrary, a quite difficult chemical process. Here, we present a two-step protocol that allows the ready conversion of pyrrolidines, piperidines, and an azepane into their corresponding 3-exo-alkenyl lactams via the transient formation of 3-alkoxyamino lactams followed by a Wittig-like C(sp3)-O bond olefination with stabilized ylides from phosphonium salts mediated by t-BuOK. Additionally, as a proof of the synthetic effectiveness of this novel methodology, the first synthesis of the natural product callylactam A was achieved through a TiCl4-catalyzed double bond isomerization of a 3-exo-alkenyl 2-piperidone to its endo-isomer.
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