N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalysed Diastereoselective Vinylogous Michael Addition Reaction of gamma-Substituted deconjugated Butenolides

An efficient N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalysed vinylogous Michael addition of deconjugated butenolides was developed. In the presence of 5 mol% of the NHC catalyst, both γ-alkyl and aryl-substituted deconjugated butenolides undergo vinylogous Michael addition with various α, β-unsaturated ketones, esters, or nitriles to afford γ,γ-disubstituted butenolides containing adjacent quaternary and tertiary carbon centers in good to excellent yields with excellent diastereoselectivities. In this process, the free carbene is assumed to act as a strong Brønsted base to promote the conjugate addition.