A Ba/Pd Catalytic System Enables Dehydrative Cross-Coupling and Excellent E-Selective Wittig Reactions.

A Ba/Pd cooperative catalysis system was developed to enable the dehydrative cross-coupling of allylic alcohols with P-ylides to occur directly and promote a subsequent Wittig reaction in one pot. A variety of multisubstituted 1,4-dienes were isolated in good to excellent yields with broad P-ylides (stabilized by both ester and ketone carbonyl groups) and aldehyde (aliphatic and aromatic) substrates with excellent E selectivity.