Stereodefined construction of trisubstituted alkenes by direct coupling reaction of allylating agents, alkynes, and organoboranes.

Tandem reaction: The Pd-catalyzed three-component coupling reaction of an allylic alcohol, terminal alkyne, and organoborane to give (E)-1-substituted 2-alkyl-1,4-pentadienes, involving geminal allylation and alkylation at the acetylenic terminal carbon, is described. Bis-diene undergoes a similar multicomponent coupling reaction with acetylene and organoborane, involving cyclization of bis-π-allylpalladium, to form trans-allyl pentadienyl cyclic and heterocyclic compounds with excellent regio- and stereoselectivities (see scheme).

Dienyl homoallyl alcohols via palladium catalyzed ene-type reaction of aldehydes with 1,3-dienes.

The combination of Pd catalyst and Xantphos ligand in the presence of Et(3)B nicely promotes the allylation of aldehydes with conjugated dienes to provide dienyl homoallyl alcohols in excellent yields. The reaction occurs selectively at the C-C double bond bearing higher electron density.

Rh-catalyzed reductive coupling reaction of aldehydes with conjugated dienes promoted by triethylborane.

Rh(I) catalyzes the reductive coupling reaction of a wide variety of aldehydes with conjugated dienes in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of triethylborane to provide homoallyl alcohols in a single operation.