Nickel-Catalyzed Carbocyanation of Alkynes with Allyl Cyanides

Allyl cyanides are found to add across alkynes in the presence of a nickel/P(4-CF3-C6H4)(3) catalyst to give polysubstituted 2,5-hexadienenitriles with defined stereo- and regiochemistry. Use of AlMe2Cl or AlMe3 as a Lewis acid cocatalyst accelerates the reaction and expands the substrate scope significantly. The cyano group in the allylcyanation products can be transformed to a hydroxymethyl or aminomethyl group to afford highly substituted allylic alcohols or amines. alpha-Siloxyallyl cyanides also add across alkynes selectively at the less hindered gamma-carbon to allow introduction of 3-oxo-propyl functionality after hydrolysis of the resulting silyl enol ethers. This particular carbocyanation reaction has been applied to the stereoselective construction of the trisubstituted double bond of plaunotol, an antibacterial natural product active against Helicobacter pylori.