A Catalytic Carbon–Phosphorus Ylide Reaction: Phosphane‐Catalyzed Annulation of Allylic Compounds with Electron‐Deficient Alkenes

Abstract

Readily available starting materials and high selectivity: These are two appealing features of the phosphane-catalyzed carbon–phosphorus ylide reaction described. Bromide, acetate, or tert-butyl carbonate derivatives of adducts formed by the Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction react with PPh3 to form an allylic ylide. Phosphane-catalyzed annulation of the ylides with electron-deficient alkenes results in the facile construction of cyclopentenes [Eq. (1)]. X=Br, OAc, OBoc; E=CO2Et.