Utilization of Sequential Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions in the Stereospecific Synthesis of Trisubstituted Olefins

A stereospecific synthesis of the drug-candidate 1 is described. The synthetic sequence, aimed at accomplishing modularity and cost savings, features a series of organometallic steps to afford stereospecifically the desired trisubstituded olefin active pharmaceutical ingredient. Key developments consist of a mild Sonogashira reaction of aryl bromide 7a with the polymerization prone propargyl alcohol and a stereospecific hydroalumination, Zn/Al exchange, and Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling sequence facilitated by the commercially available PEPPSI catalyst.