Directed conjugate addition of organolithium reagents to α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids
Abstract
α,β-Unsaturated carboxylic acids undergo predominantly conjugate addition with organolithium reagents at low temperature (–78 °C) in THF and lead to various substituted alkanoic acids after quenching with electrophiles; with (E)-3-phenylpropenoic acid, this tandem alkylation sequence also affords significant amounts of isomeric 1,3-addition products.