Conventional methods for performing the conjugate addition of terminal alkynes to Michael acceptors are of limited utility, and as the addition products are useful -intermediates for numerous synthetic transformations, a general method for this conjugate addition is highly desirable. The transition metal-catalyzed cross coupling of terminal alkynes with alpha/Beta-unsaturated ketones, esters, and nitriles (formally giving the product of a conjugate addition) will be developed into a useful synthetic technique. The initial objective will be the rapid screening of selected metals and ligands to isolate catalytically active systems. Second, once the initial screen has narrowed the investigation to several catalysts, those catalysts will be further investigated to improve chemoselectivity, widen the range of substrates accepted, and to explore the diastereoselectivity of this process. A longer term possibility would be the development of an asymmetric catalyst for this transformation.
