Indium(III)-Catalyzed Coupling of Alkyl Chlorides with Silyl Enolates

Significance

The alkylation of metal enolates is one of the synthetically most useful methods for a new C-C bond formation. The authors describe herein a very simple and elegant protocol for the alkylation of the silyl enolates of ketones, some aldehydes, amines and esters with tertiary, allylic, and benzylic alkyl chlorides. Excellent yields and very practical reaction conditions make this method useful for a large variety of synthetic targets, especially for those possessing neighboring sterically hindered quaternary carbon atoms.