Highly chemoselective palladium-catalyzed cross-trimerization between alkyne and alkenes leading to 1,3,5-trienes or 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted benzenes with dioxygen

J Org Chem. 2010 Dec 3;75(23):8279-82. doi: 10.1021/jo101554r. Epub 2010 Nov 3.

Abstract

A palladium-catalyzed 1:2 linear/cyclic cross-trimerization of alkyne with alkenes using molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant has been reported for the first time. A series of 1,3,5-trienes and 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted benzenes are obtained with high chemoselectivity respectively and mechanisms of these reactions are proposed based on some controlled examination.