Cationic Rhodium(I)/Modified‐BINAP Catalyzed [2+2+2] Cycloaddition of Alkynes with Nitriles

Abstract

Abstract Cationic rhodium(I)/modified‐BINAP complexes catalyze a chemo‐ and regioselective [2+2+2] cycloaddition of a wide variety of alkynes and nitriles leading to highly functionalized pyridines under mild reaction conditions. The asymmetric variant of this reaction, enantioselective desymmetrization of substituted malononitriles, also proceeded to give enantio‐enriched bicyclic pyridines which possess a tertiary or quaternary stereocenter. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)