ChemInform Abstract: Ruthenium-Catalyzed Allylic Alkylations of Chelated Enolates Using Vinyl Dioxolanon-2-ones

4-Vinyl-substituted 1,3-dioxolan-2-ones are found to be good substrates for Ru-catalyzed allylic alkylations of chelated amino acid ester enolates. cis-1,3-Dioxolan-2-ones are more reactive than the corresponding trans-isomers. The attack occurs preferentially with regioretention at the position of the leaving group with perfect chirality transfer. Therefore, this protocol is a good complement to the Pd-catalyzed processes, which give only linear products with this type of substrate.