Direct β-activation of saturated aldehydes to formal michael acceptors through oxidative NHC catalysis

Abstract

Without detours: Oxidative catalysis mediated by N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) enables the direct β-carbon functionalization of saturated aldehydes (see scheme). The reaction proceeds through two sequential oxidative steps to generate ,β-unsaturated triazolium ester equivalents as formal Michael acceptors, which react with 1,3-diketones and β-ketone esters in an enantioselective manner.