Formalizing the mechanism of the allylic substitution reaction (SN’): application to the highly enantio- and diastereo-selective syntheses of 1-phenyl-2-vinyl-cyclopentanes
We report efficient stereoselective and high yielding syntheses of each of the four enantiomers of phenylcyclopentanes bearing a quaternary center and a E-propenyl chain on the adjacent carbon that involves intramolecular allylicsubstitution reactions. In complement to its synthetic value, this process models the SN’ reaction and allows prediction of its stereochemical outcome.