Palladium‐Catalyzed Aerobic Synthesis of Terminal Acetals from Vinylarenes Assisted by π‐Acceptor Ligands

The front cover artwork for Issue 5/2017 is provided by researchers from Nara Women's University (Japan). The image shows a novel synthesis of terminal acetals from vinylarenes and diols that uses Pd and Cu catalysts and O2, brought by the fairies, and is efficiently promoted by methoxy‐p‐benzoquinone brought by the goddess. See the Full Paper itself at https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201601517. “Terminal acetals were synthesized from various vinylarenes and 1,2‐ or 1,3‐diols using a simple PdCl2(MeCN)2/methoxy‐p‐benzoquinone (MeOBQ)/CuCl catalyst system and 1 atm of O2 under mild reaction conditions by the anti‐Markovnikov nucleophilic attack of an oxygen nucleophile on the coordinated vinylarenes.” This and more about the story behind the research featured on the front cover can be found in this issue's Cover Profile. Read the full text of the corresponding research at https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201601517.