Highly efficient Suzuki coupling reaction of α-chloroalkylidene- β-lactones and β-lactams with organoboronic acids

The activation of C-Cl bond of (Z)-α-chloroalkylidene-β-lactones and (E)-α-chloroalkylidene-β-lactams via the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction is reported in this paper. Alkyl, heteroaromatic, substituted phenyl- and alkenylboronic acids can be coupled with a wide variety of α-chloroalkylidene-β-lactones and β-lactams in excellent yields within a short period of time. The cross-coupling reaction of optically active substrates leads to the optically active compounds without racemization of the corresponding chiral center.