343. N. Germain, A. Alexakis,
     “Formation of Contiguous Quaternary and Tertiary Stereocenters by Sequential Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Grignard Reagents to 2-Substituted Enones and Mg-Enolate Trapping”
     Chem. Eur. J. 2015, 21, 8597-8606.

Herein a comprehensive study is provided on the asymmetric conjugate addition (ACA) of Grignard reagents to α-substituted cyclic enones. After the elucidation of the optimal experimental conditions, the scope of Grignard reagents and Michael acceptors was examined. Whereas secondary Grignards gave better enantioselectivities with 2-cyclopentenones, both linear and branched Grignard reagents were tolerated for the ACA to 2-methylcyclohexenone. The sequential ACA–enolate trapping, which leads to quaternary stereocenters, was then studied. Thus, many electrophiles have been tested, thereby giving rise to highly functionalized cyclic ketones with contiguous α-quaternary and β-tertiary centers. The present technique is believed to bring a new approach to versatile terpenoid-like skeletons of bioactive natural products. Straightforward derivatizations of enantioenriched saturated cyclic ketones further support the potential of the present methodology in synthesis.

DOI : 10.1002/chem.201500292 

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