Catalytic Hydroalkylation of Allenes

We have developed a catalytic method for the hydroalkylation of allenes using alkyl triflates as electrophiles and silane as a hydride source. The reaction has an excellent substrate scope and is compatible with a wide range of functional groups, including esters, aryl halides, aryl boronic esters, sulfonamides, alkyl tosylates, and alkyl bromides. We found evidence for a reaction mechanism that involves unusual dinuclear copper ally complexes as catalytic intermediates. The unusual structure of these complexes provides a rationale for their unexpected reactivity.     

Chemoselective Polymerization Control: From Mixed‐Monomer Feedstock to Copolymers

A novel chemoselective polymerization control yields predictable (co)polymer compositions from a mixture of monomers. Using a dizinc catalyst and a mixture of caprolactone, cyclohexene oxide, and carbon dioxide enables the selective preparation of either polyesters or polycarbonates or copoly(ester‐carbonates). The selectivity depends on the nature of the zinc–oxygen functionality at the growing polymer chain end, and can be controlled by the addition of exogeneous switch reagents.