Remarkable Electronic Effect on the Diastereoselectivity of the Heck Reaction of Methyl Cinnamate with Arenediazonium Salts: Formal Total Synthesis of (±)‐Indatraline and (±)‐Sertraline

An efficient and stereoselective protocol for the preparation of β,β‐disubstituted acrylates in good to high yields by means of a Heck–Matsuda arylation was accomplished. The method employs a base‐ and ligand‐free Heck arylation reaction of methyl cinnamate using both electron‐deficient and electron‐rich arenediazonium salts as electrophiles. The Heck reaction displays a remarkable electronic dependence regarding the diastereoselectivity of the arylation process, which correlates with the electronic nature of the arenediazonium salts employed. A rationale for the observed diastereoselectivity is presented. The overall methodology provides a convenient route to 3‐arylindanones and 4‐aryltetralones allowing the concise formal total syntheses of the therapeutically important psychoactive compounds (±)‐indatraline and (±)‐sertraline.