Palladium‐Catalyzed Carboetherification and Carboamination Reactions of γ‐Hydroxy‐ and γ‐Aminoalkenes for the Synthesis of Tetrahydrofurans and Pyrrolidines

Substituted tetrahydrofuran and pyrrolidine moieties are displayed in a wide range of interesting biologically active molecules. The Pd‐catalyzed carboetherification or carboamination of γ‐hydroxy and γ‐aminoalkenes is a powerful tool for the construction of these heterocycles, as it is convergent and can allow access to a variety of analogs from a single γ‐hydroxy‐ or γ‐aminoalkene starting material. This microreview describes the current state of this field. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)