A Copper-Mediated Conjugate Addition Approach to Analogues of Aconitine-Type Diterpenoid Alkaloids

A copper-mediated conjugate addition of electron-rich aryl groups into a complex vinyl nitrile using arylmagnesium bro-mides is reported. The conjugate addition adducts were advanced toward the synthesis of designed aconitine-type analogs. The variation in oxygenation patterns on the arene coupling partner, introduced through the current conjugate addition ap-proach, may ultimately provide insight into structure–activity relationships of the diterpenoid alkaloids.