Homoenolates generated from alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes using NHC catalysis underwent facile addition to dibenzylidene cyclohexanone to afford bicyclic cyclopentenes as single diastereomers.

Homoenolate, a species containing anionic carbon beta to a carbonyl group or a moiety that can be transformed into a carbonyl group, is a potential three carbon synthon. Recent introduction of a protocol for the generation ...

An N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐mediated homoenolate reaction strategy for the efficient synthesis of a wide variety of tricyclic pentenes with potential biological activity is reported.