Conjugateaddition to 1,4-dicarbonylbut-2-enes will generate an α-stereogenic center with respect to one of the carbonyl groups, which informally, can be considered as an inversion of normal reactivity patterns or umpolung protocol. In this paper, the addition of tert-butyl mercaptan to 1,4-dicarbonylbut-2-enes including (E)-4-oxo-4-arylbutenamides and (E)-4-oxo-4-arylbutenones has been developed,
The strength of the weak: An L‐tert‐leucine‐derived amine–thioureacatalyst (see scheme, green box) promotes the asymmetric vinylogous conjugate addition reaction between γ‐aryl‐ and alkyl‐substituted butenolides with the butenamides and enoates shown. Computational studies show the preference for the observed stereochemistry is a result of favourable weak non‐bonding interactions, which stabilize