Ruthenium-Catalyzed One-Pot Synthesis of (E)-(2-Arylvinyl)boronates through an Isomerization/Cross-Metathesis Sequence from Allyl-Substituted Aromatics

We described the efficient preparation of (E)-(2-arylvinyl)boronates from allylbenzene derivatives on the basis of an isomerization/cross-metathesis sequence catalyzed by a modified Hoveyda-Grubbs catalyst. The implementation of the experimental procedure was simple and compatible with a large variety of substrates. This methodology provides a new chemical transformation not described to date. Allyl-substituted aromatics can thus be converted into diversely functionalized compounds, such as (E)-stilbene derivatives or (E)-vinyl azides, in only two steps.