The Aldol Reaction of Allenolates with Aldehydes in the Presence of Magnesium Diiodide (MgI2) as Catalyst

Stereoselective synthesis of (Z)‐α‐(hydroxyalkyl)‐β‐iodoacrylates (=(2Z)‐2‐(hydroxyalkyl)‐3‐iodoprop‐2‐enoates) was achieved in a one‐pot coupling reaction from methyl prop‐2‐ynoate, Me₃SiI, and an alkanal under mild conditions with MgI₂ as catalyst (→ 1 – 9 ; see Table and Scheme 1). Baylis‐Hillman β‐iodo adducts were generated in excellent yields with high (Z)‐selectivity. The conversion of methyl prop‐2‐ynoate to an active methyl 3‐iodo‐1‐(trimethylsilyl)oxy]allenolate intermediate in situ followed by carbonyl addition is proposed as the reaction sequence (Schemes 1 and 2).