Mild Isomerization of Conjugated Dienes Using Co-Mediated Hydrogen Atom Transfer.

A mild and high yielding rearrangement of 1,3-disubstituted-1,3-dienes to 1,1,4-trisubstituted-1,3-dienes using a cobaloxime catalyst and a silane cocatalyst is reported. Chiral centers near the conjugated diene were not racemized. Deuterium labeling studies are consistent with a hydrogen atom transfer mechanism, and radical intermediates were found to be accessible due to the observed ring opening of a cyclopropane ring.