Palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution and cross-coupling reactions have been combined into a sequential procedure to provide a range of disubstituted olefin products starting from two-, three-, and four-carbon common olefin templates. Diverse application of this template strategy is demonstrated in a variety of model studies and in a parallel synthesis (combinatorial) approach to prepare an allylic amine molecular library. An approach toward the preparation of astaxanthin beta-D-diglucoside, an interesting antioxidant whose total synthesis has yet to be reported, using the olefin-template approach is also discussed.

Synthesis of aryl- and hetero[a]pyrrolo[3,4-c]carbazoles by photochemical oxidation and Heck cyclization are described. Photochemical oxidation of 2-naphthyl indolyl maleimide affords two different carbazole regioisomers, depending on the reaction conditions. The regiochemistry of the cyclization can be controlled using the Heck reaction.

Optically active syn- or anti-beta-substituted-alpha-amino acid derivatives are prepared in 94 to >/=99% ee and 66-98% ds by reaction of the Schiff base acetate of glycine tert-butyl ester with chiral, nonracemic B-alkyl-9-BBN derivatives in the presence of the Cinchona alkaloid, cinchonidine (CdOH) or cinchonine (CnOH), base, and lithium chloride.

It has been demonstrated that the same Pd catalyst can be used to effect allylic substitution or vinylic cross-coupling reactions selectively and interchangeably on polyfunctionalized olefin building blocks despite the differences in reaction mechanism. This was achieved by altering the pK(a) of the conjugate acid of the allylic leaving group while keeping the vinyl coupling partner constant. In the case of 2,3-dibromo-1-propene, Pd-catalyzed allylic ionization with malonate nucleophile proceeded selectively and quantitatively in the presence of the Suzuki reaction components necessary for cross-coupling. Conversely, the bromide of 2-bromo-1-(4-ethylphenoxy)-2-propene could be cross-coupled selectively without activation of the allylic phenoxy substituent. In both reactions, the same catalyst could then be used to complete the sequence, which typically involved heating as the trigger to promote the second, more reluctant reaction. Mechanistic considerations as well as synthetic applications demonstrating the value of this interchangeable catalyzed sequence are presented.