Abstract
N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction of ketones was developed. Under the catalysis of 5 mol% NHC, -keto esters and -trifluoromethyl ketones reacted with 2-(trimethysilyloxy)furan efficiently to produce -substituted butenolides containing adjacent quaternary and tertiary carbon centers in high yields with good diastereoselectivities.