A catalytic allylic cation-induced intermolecular allylation-semipinacol rearrangement.

A catalytic intermolecular semipinacol rearrangement induced by allylic carbocations has been realized. This tandem reaction is highly efficient under the catalysis of ZnBr2, generating a wide range of α-homoallyl substituted ketones which contain all-carbon quaternary centres in good to excellent yields (up to 98%) with moderate to high diastereoselectivities (up to >20 : 1). Synthetic application of this novel methodology in the construction of core structures of natural products is also reported.