Pd(0)-Catalyzed Amphiphilic Activation of Bis-allyl Alcohol and Ether

Pd(0).Et3B catalyzes amphiphilic activation of symmetric allylic diol 1 to promote electrophilic allylation at the alpha-position of aldehydes and nucleophilic allylation at the aldehyde CO, furnishing 3-methylenecyclopentalols 2 and thus generation of a zwitterionic trimethylenemethane species from the commercially available diol 1.