Some Allylic Substituent Effects in Ring-Closing Metathesis Reactions:  Allylic Alcohol Activation

Abstract

[formula: see text] Dienes 2a-e were used to study allylic substituent effects in the ring-closing metathesis reaction (RCM). Both the steric and electronic character of the allylic substituents were found to influence alkene reactivities. Free allylic hydroxyl groups exert a large activating effect on the RCM reaction rates.