Mild, Efficient, and Robust Method for Stereocomplementary Iron-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Using (E)- and (Z)-Enol Tosylates

Iron-catalyzed cross-coupling of Grignard reagents (RMgX) with (E)- and (Z)-enol tosylates proceeded smoothly to give a variety of the corresponding (E)- and (Z)-trisubstituted α,β-unsaturated methyl esters (total 30 examples; 55-98% yield). The simple, mild, stereoretentive method utilized iron(III) chloride (FeCl3), iron(III) acetylacetonate [Fe(acac)3], and iron(III) tris(dibenzylmethane) [Fe(dbm)3]. The (E)- and (Z)-enol tosylates were readily prepared by the reported stereocomplementary tosylation method from methyl β-keto esters or α-formyl esters. Methyl α-formyl esters were obtained via a practical and robust TiCl4-Et3N-mediated α-formylation of methyl esters with methyl formate.