Lactones, allylic addition reaction with enolates

The reaction of 3-ketoacids with allyl carboxylates is also believed to proceed via a palladium enolate intermediate.126 Less than complete stereospecificity is also observed in these reactions (equation 163). Interestingly, the bicyclic lactone substrate employed to ascertain the stereointegrity of this reaction, in addition to being incapable of any syn-anti isomerization, cannot epimerize the starting material by car-boxylate attack at the metal. The observed stereochemical leakage could be due to epimerization of the intermediate allyl complex (equation 164) or reductive elimination of an allylpalladium enolate (retention) (equation 165). 

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