4-Cyano-2-cyclohexenones were found to be susceptible to reductive alkylation reactions, giving the corresponding 2,2-disubstituted-3-cyclohexenone derivatives in a completely regioselective manner. This newly developed methodology has been successfully applied towards the total synthesis, in racemic form, of the marine natural product nanaimoal. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
