Copper-catalyzed intermolecular carboetherification of unactivated alkenes by alkyl nitriles and alcohols.
A three-component carboetherification of unactivated alkenes has been developed allowing the rapid building of complexity from simple starting materials. A wide range of α-substituted styrenes underwent smooth reactions with unactivated alkyl nitriles and alcohols to afford γ-alkoxy alkyl nitriles with concomitant generation of a quaternary carbon center. A radical clock experiment provided clear-cut evidence that the reaction proceeds through a tertiary alkyl radical intermediate.
Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 (Canada).
Claire
C
Chatalova-Sazepin
Qian
Q
Wang
Glenn M
GM
Sammis
Jieping
J
Zhu
alkenes; carboetherification; copper catalysts; difunctionalization; oxyalkylation