The conjugate addition of activated propargylic alcohols to alkyl propiolates is shown to be catalyst-dependent. Whereas trialkylamines catalyze the expected 1,4-adition of the alcohol on the alkynoate to give the β-alkoxyacrylate derivative, the trialkylphosphine-catalyzed reaction affords densely functionalized bicyclic hexahydrofuro[2,3-b]furan derivatives. A mechanistic proposal for the phosphine-catalyzed addition of alcohols to alkyl propiolates according with these observations is presented.
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Tejedor et al. (2009) studied this question.