Pd-Catalyzed arylative annulation of alkynyl nitriles with boronic acids to functionalized cyclopentene-3-ones/2-indenones

Herein, we describe a novel arylative cyclization of enynyl-nitriles, obtained from Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) acetates of propiolaldehydes, with boronic acids leading to cyclopenten-3-ones. Reaction proceeds through the palladium-catalysed arylation/nucleophilic cyclization/hydrolysis. The...