Cu-catalyzed cyanoalkyl-alkynylation of gem-disubstituted alkenes to construct all-carbon quaternary center compounds

Abstract

A copper-catalyzed cyanoalkyl-alkynylation of gem-disubstituted alkenes for the construction of alkynyl all-carbon quaternary centers is reported herein. This protocol enables the efficient synthesis of various cyano compounds with an alkynyl all-carbon quaternary center in good yields and overcomes the challenges posed by large steric hindrance and unstable alkylmetal species by using pyridine as a directing group. Preliminary mechanism studies indicated that a radical pathway might be potentially involved in this reaction.