Copper-Catalyzed Three-Component Cascade Michael Addition/Heck-Type Alkylation/Annulation: Accessing Fully Substituted 1,3-Dihydro-2H-pyrrol-2-ones

We report a highly efficient copper-catalyzed three-component reaction of alkylamines, acetylenedicarboxylates, and alpha-bromocarbonyls for the assembly of fully substituted 1,3-dihydro-2H-pyrrol-2-ones. A variety of alkylamines and ammonium salt are functionalized with acetylenedicarboxylates and alpha-bromocarbonyls. N-aryl enam-inoesters are also successfully alkylated with alpha-bromocarbonyls. This protocol is understood to proceed through radical Heck-type coupling of in-situ-generated bulky trisubstituted alkenes with bulky tertiary alkyl bromides, which is realized for the first time.