Potassium tert-butoxide catalyzed addition of carbonyl derivatives to styrenes

A catalytic amount of t-BuOK in DMSO allows the addition of ketones or imines to styrenes at 40 degrees C in good to excellent yield. Nitriles add to styrenes in NMP or in DMSO at room temperature.     

Trimethylaluminum-assisted alkynylation of nitrones

Reaction of nitrones with terminal alkynes occurs in the presence of 1 equiv of trimethylaluminum and leads to the corresponding propargylic hydroxylamines in yields ranging from 49 to 90%.     

t-BuOK-mediated hydrophosphination of functionalized alkenes: a novel synthesis of chiral P,N- and P,P-ligands

A novel synthesis of effective chiral P,N- and P,P-ligands has been developed by using a t-BuOK-mediated hydrophosphination of chiral alkenylpyridines and alkenylphosphine oxides. Ir complexes of chiral P,N-ligands 1 and 3 gave high enantioselectivities for the hydrogenation of (Z)-alpha-(acetamido)cinnamate 25 and (E)-1,2-diphenylpropene leading to the hydrogenated products with up to 97% ee.