Efficient, Transition Metal Mediated, Sequential, Two- and Three-Component Coupling Reactions for the Synthesis of Highly Substituted Five-Membered Ring Carbocycles

A Cu‐catalysed method for the preparation of highly substituted methylenecyclopentanes, through a sequence involving a Michael addition of stabilized enolates to activated enynes followed by an intramolecular carbocupration reaction, is presented. This method was also successfully combined with a Pd‐mediated coupling reaction to perform a new three‐component reaction through a transmetallation pathway on the vinylcopper intermediate. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)