Stereodivergent Zweifel Olefination and its Mechanistic Dichotomy

Abstract

AbstractStereoselective Zweifel olefination using boronate complexes carrying two different reactive π‐systems was achieved to synthesize vinyl heteroarenes and conjugated 1,3‐dienes in good yield and up to 100 % stereoselectivity, which remains unexplored until now. Most importantly, we report the unprecedented formation of E vs. Z‐vinyl heteroarenes for different heteroarenes under identical conditions. Density functional theory (DFT) investigations unveil the mechanistic dichotomy between olefin and heteroarene activation followed by 1,2‐migration, leading to E or Z‐vinyl heteroarenes respectively. We also report a previously unknown reversal of stereoselectivity by using 2,3‐Dichloro‐5,6‐dicyano‐1,4‐benzoquinone (DDQ) as an electrophile. The Zweifel olefination using a boronate complex that carries two different olefins was previously unexplored due to significant challenges associated with the site‐selective activation of olefins. We have solved this problem and reported the site‐selective activation of olefins for the stereoselective synthesis of 1,3‐dienes.