Regio‐ and Diastereoselective Conjugate Addition to 4,4‐Dimethylcyclohexadienones

Conjugate addition of vinyl cuprate and dimethyl malonate to 4,4‐dimethylcyclohexa‐2,5‐dienones has allowed facile access to mono‐ and bis‐adducts in satisfactory yields. While the high diastereoselectivity of such processes to afford trans‐bis‐adducts was predictable, an unprecedented regioselectivity was observed with 2,4,4‐trimethylcyclohexa‐2,5‐dienone, with the first addition occurring exclusively at the C‐5 carbon atom (distal from the methyl group) and with the second addition of a bulky nucleophile such as dimethyl malonate even prevented. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)