Scope of palladium-catalyzed alkylative ring opening.

We have explored the scope of the palladium-catalyzed nucleophilic ring opening methodology. New highly selective and highly active catalysts have been found for the ring opening of oxabenzonorbornadienes. Employing these catalysts, the addition of various alkyl nucleophiles to oxabenzonorbornadiene has been achieved. In addition, reaction of diethylzinc with [3.2.1] oxabicyclic alkenes has been accomplished to yield ring-opened products as well as functionalized alkene addition products.