The conversion of vinyl triflates into γ'-hydroxy-α,β-enones

Abstract Vinyl triflates have been converted into γ'-hydroxy-α,β-enones through their palladium-catalysed coupling with 1-butyn-4-ols followed by the reaction of the obtained 1-hydroxy-3-yn-5-enes in an acidic CH2Cl2/3 N HCl two-phase system in the presence of the n-BuN4Cl/PdCl2 combination. Both the coupling step and the conversion of the carbon-carbon triple bond into the ketonic group have been performed at room temperature. The conversion of vinyl triflates into γ'-hydroxy-α,β-enones can be carried out through a one-flask process, without the isolation of 1-hydroxy-3-yn-5-enes.