A Pd/Ca
catalytic system to promote the unsymmetrical bis-allylation
of malononitrile was developed by selecting conjugated dienes and
allylic alcohols as allylic reagents. This catalytic system suppressed
the competitive symmetrical bis-allylation process and guaranteed
the desired unsymmetrical bis-allylation with high chemoselectivity.
A wide range of conjugated dienes and allylic alcohols were tolerated
well in this transformation, and diverse 1,6-dienes were obtained
with high efficiency.