Cu-catalyzed formal methylative and hydrogenative carboxylation of alkynes with carbon dioxide: efficient synthesis of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids.

The sequential hydroalumination or methylalumination of various alkynes catalyzed by different catalyst systems, such those based on Sc, Zr, and Ni complexes, and the subsequent carboxylation of the resulting alkenylaluminum species with CO2 catalyzed by an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-copper catalyst have been examined in detail. The regio- and stereoselectivity of the overall reaction relied largely on the hydroalumination or methylalumination reactions, which significantly depended on the catalyst and alkyne substrates. The subsequent Cu-catalyzed carboxylation proceeded with retention of the stereoconfiguration of the alkenylaluminum species. All the reactions could be carried out in one-pot to afford efficiently a variety of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids with well-controlled configurations, which are difficult to construct by previously reported methods. This protocol could be practically useful and attractive because of its high regio- and stereoselectivity, simple one-pot reaction operation, and the use of CO2 as a starting material.