Vanadium-catalyzed addition of propargyl alcohols and imines.

A Mannich-type addition of propargylic alcohols and N-methoxycarbonylimines has been achieved by using a vanadium catalyst. The reactivity of the vanadium catalyst could be modulated by modifying the silanol ligands to avoid the background reaction. The strategy described herein provides an atom-economical access to beta-aryl-substituted Z-enones with an allylic amino functional group, which are not readily accessible with other methods.