A Flexible, Stereoselective Dimethylzinc-Mediated Radical-Anionic Cascade: Dramatic Influence of Additional Lewis Acids

Abstract

Dimethylzinc-mediated addition of acyloxymethyl radicals to diethyl fumarate led to the highly stereoselective formation of disubstituted gamma-lactones in mean to good yields; this cascade provides a new example of a one-pot process mediated by dimethylzinc involving a tandem radical-anionic reaction; the chemoselectivity of the reaction was totally modified by additional Lewis acids.