Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol.130, No.23, 7202-7202, 2008
Chiral phosphine-catalyzed enantioselective construction of gamma-butenolides through substitution of Morita-Baylis-Hillman acetates with 2-trimethylsilyloxy furan
Chiral multifunctional phosphine (R)-N-(2'-diphenylphosphanyl-[1,1']binaphthalenyl-2-yl) methanesulfonamide L2 or (R)-N-(2'-diphenylphosphanyl-[1,1']binaphthalenyl-2-yl) acetamide L3 is an efficient catalyst in the substitutions of MBH acetates 1 with 2-trimethylsilyloxy furan 2 to provide y-butenolides 3 in good to excellent yields and enantiomeric excesses in the presence of water.