desired reductive alkylation of 2-thienyldialkylacetonitriles, a much lower temperature such as -100 ˚C was required. Also with these substrates, an interesting ring-opening/S-alkylation process was observed when the reductive alkylation were performed at -78 ˚C to give 1-alkylsulfanyl-1,3,4-trienes. A mechanistic discussion is given for this observation. reductive alkylation -reductiveaddition- reductive
A relay catalytic cascade process involving Lewis acid triggered ring-opening of cyclopropyl ketones with nitriles, the copper(I)-catalyzed Ritter process, and acid-promoted N-acyliminium ion cyclization is described, which efficiently provides thieno-, furano-, and benzo-indolizinones in moderate to good yields.