An efficient synthetic route to carbocyclic enaminonitriles via Lewis acid catalysed domino-ring-opening-cyclisation (DROC) of donor–acceptor cyclopropanes with malononitrile

Abstract

A highly efficient strategy for the synthesis of functionalised carbocyclic enaminonitriles in excellent yields has been described. The reaction utilises Yb(OTf)3 catalysed C-C bond cleavage and two simultaneous C-C bond formations of donor-acceptor (DA)-cyclopropanes with malononitrile anions in a domino fashion.