Nickel-catalysed bis-allylation of internal alkynes with triallylindium.

The Ni-catalysed reaction of triallylindium with internal alkynes underwent bis-allylation to afford octa-1,4,7-trienes in high yield.

Control of diastereoselectivity in the crotylation and cinnamylation of aldehydes by the selection of ligands on allylic indium reagents.

Diastereoselective couplings of salicylaldehyde, anisaldehyde and 2-pyridylaldehyde with crotyl- and cinnamylindium reagents were studied. The syl/anti selectivity was found to depend largely on the ligands on the indium atom of the allylic indium reagents. A syn-selective cinnamylation of salicylaldehyde was realized by the combination of cinnamyl acetate and indium(I) iodide, whereas an anti-selective coupling with salicylaldehyde was achieved by the indium trichloride/aluminium-mediated cinnamylation.

Preparation of gamma-Heterosubstituted Allylindium and Diindium Reagents and Their Reactions with Carbonyl Compounds.

Various gamma-heteroatom-substituted allylindium reagents were prepared, and their reactions with carbonyl compounds were examined. The reaction of 1,3-dibromopropene with metallic indium gave two types of organoindium species, gamma-bromoallylindium and allylic diindium reagents. While the former gave 2-phenyl-3-vinyloxirane upon the coupling with benzaldehyde, the latter gave 1-phenylbut-3-en-1-ol. 1-Iodo-3-bromopropene gave the homoallylic alcohol exclusively. gamma-Alkoxyallylindium reagents were prepared by treating the corresponding gamma-alkoxyallyllithium with indium trichloride and reacted with benzaldehyde to give vic-diol mono ethers in high yields with good syn selectivity. gamma-(Trimethylsilyl)allylindium and alpha,gamma-disubstituted allylindium reagents were also prepared via transmetalation with the corresponding allyllithium.