Complementary methods for the transition metal-catalyzed enyne cycloisomerizations of cyclic olefins have been developed. By using distinct ruthenium and palladium catalysts, decalins and 7,6-bicycles can be obtained with dichotomous stereochemical outcomes. The change in mechanism that accompanies the change in metal affords trans-fused 1,4-dienes with ruthenium and their cis-fused diastereomers under palladium catalysis. In the reactions under ruthenium catalysis, a coordinating group is required, and acts to direct the metal to the same side of the carbocycle, resulting in the observed trans diastereoselectivity. Subtle changes in the carbocyclic substrate led to the discovery of a heretofore-unobserved mechanistic pathway, providing bicyclic cycloisomerization products under palladium catalysis and tricyclic products under ruthenium catalysis in DMA. The differential effect of DMA supports a mechanism in which the coordination requirements of the two paths differ, allowing for the reaction to be shuttled through the metallacycle pathway (generating tricyclic products) when DMA is used as a solvent.
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