Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of unactivated alkenes with acrylates: Application to the synthesis of the C13-C21 fragment of palmerolide A

Diene to meet: A palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between alkyl-substituted olefins and acrylates gives the corresponding butadienes in moderate yield and stereoselectivity. This atom-economical reaction, which forms C sp 2-C sp 2 bonds, tolerates a wide range of allylic and homoallylic alcohols, and acrylates (see scheme; TIPS =triisopropylsilyl). The methodology was applied to the synthesis of the C13-C21 fragment of palmerolide A.