Synergistic Pd/Enamine Catalysis: A Strategy for the C–H/C–H Oxidative Coupling of Allylarenes with Unactivated Ketones

By combining catalytic nucleophilic enamine activation with Pd-catalyzed C-H activation of allylarenes, the first oxidative allylic alkylation of unactivated ketones was achieved. Mechanistically, the Pd-catalyzed allylic C-H activation and proline-catalyzed ketone nucleophilic activation worked synergistically for the oxidative cross-coupling between allylarenes and unactivated ketones.