Palladium-catalyzed Lewis acid-regulated cascade annulation of alkynes with unactivated alkenes to access diverse α-methylene-γ-lactones

Abstract

We report herein a novel and versatile divergent carboesterification of unactivated alkenes enabled by Lewis acids and palladium catalysts for the preparation of alkyl substituted α-methylene-γ-lactones in high yields with excellent Z/E selectivities. Downstream late-stage functionalization of (Z)-γ-lactones afford various valuable complex molecules, and has potential utility in organic synthesis and pharmaceutical chemistry.