Phosphine-Catalyzed Dual Umpolung Domino Michael Reaction: Facile Synthesis of Hydroindole- and Hydrobenzofuran-2-Carboxylates

A highly atom-economical, chemoselective, and stereoselective Lewis base (LB)-catalyzed dual umpolung domino Michael reaction between cyclohexadienones and alkynyl esters has been developed. PPh3, as a LB catalyst, afforded either the hydroindole-2-carboxylates or hydrobenzofuran-2-carboxylates 3 as a single diastereomer in high yields (up to 89%). An obtained product could be easily transformed to a (S*,S*,R*)-octahydroindole-2-carboxylic acid ((S*,S*,R*)-Oic) analogue.