Highly convergent, stereospecific synthesis of 11-cis-retinoids by metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of (Z)-1-alkenylmetals.

A stereospecific synthesis of 11-cis-retinoids has as its key step the hitherto unexplored palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of trans-trienyl electrophiles and (1Z,3E)-penta-1,3-dienyl boronates (a Suzuki-Miyaura reaction) or stannanes (a Stille reaction). This highly convergent approach constitutes the first application of cis-organometallic moieties to the synthesis of 11-cis-retinoids and represents a general, straightforward route to the visual chromophore.