Achieving vinylic selectivity in Mizoroki-Heck reaction of cyclic olefins

Abstract

In Heck reactions of cyclic olefins, the products usually have aryl groups that end up at the allylic and/or homoallylic position. We herein report new selectivity that adds aryl groups to the vinylic position. Cyclic olefins of various ring size worked well. The desired isomers were produced by palladium–hydride-catalyzed isomerization of the initial products. Thus, a specific catalyst must be used so that it can perform two jobs under one set of reaction conditions.