Highly Regio‐ and Enantioselective Synthesis of N‐Substituted 2‐Pyridones: Iridium‐Catalyzed Intermolecular Asymmetric Allylic Amination

The first iridium‐catalyzed intermolecular asymmetric allylic amination reaction with 2‐hydroxypyridines has been developed, thus providing a highly efficient synthesis of enantioenriched N‐substituted 2‐pyridone derivatives from readily available starting materials. This protocol features a good tolerance of functional groups in both the allylic carbonates and 2‐hydroxypyridines, thereby delivering multifunctionalized heterocyclic products with up to 98 % yield and 99 % ee.     

Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation of β‐Ketoesters with Allylic Alcohols by a Nickel/Diphosphine Catalyst

Asymmetric allylic alkylation of β‐ketoesters with allylic alcohols catalyzed by [Ni(cod)₂]/(S)‐H₈‐BINAP was found to be a superior synthetic protocol for constructing quaternary chiral centers at the α‐position of β‐ketoesters. The reaction proceeded in high yield and with high enantioselectivity using various β‐ketoesters and allylic alcohols, without any additional activators. The versatility of this methodology for accessing useful and enantioenriched products was demonstrated.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Allyl–Allyl Coupling between Allylic Boronates and Phosphates with a Phenol/N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Chiral Ligand

Copper‐catalyzed enantioselective allyl–allyl coupling between allylboronates and either Z‐acyclic or cyclic allylic phosphates using a new chiral N‐heterocyclic carbene ligand, bearing a phenolic hydroxy, is reported. This reaction occurs with exceptional S_N2′‐type regioselectivities and high enantioselectivities to deliver chiral 1,5‐diene derivatives with a tertiary stereogenic center at the allylic/homoallylic position.     

Construction of Quaternary Stereogenic Carbon Centers through Copper‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Allylic Alkylation of Azoles

Copper‐catalyzed enantioselective allylic alkylation of azoles with γ,γ‐disubstituted primary allylic phosphates was achieved using a new chiral N‐heterocyclic carbene ligand bearing a naphtholic hydroxy group. This reaction occurred with excellent branch regioselectivity and high enantioselectivity, thus forming a controlled all‐carbon quaternary stereogenic center at the position α to the heteroaromatic ring.     

Nickel‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Reductive 1,2‐Carboamination of Unactivated Alkenes

Starting from diverse alkene‐tethered aryl iodides and O‐benzoyl‐hydroxylamines, the enantioselective reductive cross‐electrophilic 1,2‐carboamination of unactivated alkenes was achieved using a chiral pyrox/nickel complex as the catalyst. This mild, modular, and practical protocol provides rapid access to a variety of β‐chiral amines with an enantioenriched aryl‐substituted quaternary carbon center in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivities. This process reveals a complementary regioselectivity when compared to Pd and Cu catalysis.     

Construction of Quaternary Stereogenic Carbon Centers through Copper‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Allylic Cross‐Coupling with Alkylboranes

A combination of an in situ generated chiral Cu^I/DTBM‐MeO‐BIPHEP catalyst system and EtOK enabled the enantioselective S_N2′‐type allylic cross‐coupling between alkylborane reagents and γ,γ‐disubstituted primary allyl chlorides with enantiocontrol at a useful level. The reaction generates a stereogenic quaternary carbon center having three sp³‐alkyl groups and a vinyl group. This protocol allowed the use of terminal alkenes as nucleophile precursors, thus representing a formal reductive allylic cross‐coupling of terminal alkenes. A reaction pathway involving addition/elimination of a neutral alkylcopper(I) species with the allyl chloride substrate is proposed.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylations with Toluene Derivatives as Pronucleophiles

The first two highly enantioselective palladium‐catalyzed allylic alkylations with benzylic nucleophiles, activated with Cr(CO)₃, have been developed. These methods enable the enantioselective synthesis of α‐2‐propenyl benzyl motifs, which are important scaffolds in natural products and pharmaceuticals. A variety of cyclic and acyclic allylic carbonates are competent electrophilic partners furnishing the products in excellent enantioselectivity (up to 99 % ee and 92 % yield). This approach was employed to prepare a nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug analogue.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Allylic Alkylation of Simple Ketones with Allylic Alcohols and Its Mechanistic Study

Allylic alcohols were directly used in Pd‐catalyzed allylic alkylations of simple ketones under mild reaction conditions. The reaction proceeded smoothly at 20 °C by the concerted action of a Pd catalyst, a pyrrolidine co‐catalyst, and a hydrogen‐bonding solvent, and does not require any additional reagents. A computational study suggested that methanol plays a crucial role in the formation of the π‐allylpalladium complex by lowering the activation barrier.     

Silver‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylation: Allyltrimethoxysilane as a Remarkable Reagent

Recently, there have been some reports on the use of allyltrimethoxysilane for enantioselective allylation with various metal fluorides or a combination of chiral complex and fluoride anion. These reactions can be applied not only to aldehydes but also to ketones and imines. In this Focus Review we discuss the development of asymmetric allylation with allyltrimethoxysilane catalyzed by chiral silver complexes.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of All‐Carbon Quaternary Stereogenic Centers via Copper‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation of (Z)‐Allyl Bromides with Organolithium Reagents

A copper/phosphoramidite catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of Z trisubstituted allyl bromides with organolithium reagents is reported. The reaction affords all‐carbon quaternary stereogenic centers in high yields and very good regio‐ and enantioselectivity. This systematic study illustrates the crucial role of the olefin geometry of the allyl substrate on the outcome of the reaction and provides a viable alternative to access these important structural motifs.     

Nickel‐Catalyzed Direct Coupling of Allylic Alcohols with Organoboron Reagents

The direct coupling of allylic alcohols with arylboronic acids or their derivatives catalyzed by Ni(cod)₂ in the presence of a catalytic amount of base has been developed. A wide variety of allylic substrates or arylboronic acids turned out to be applicable to this catalytic system. The present method does not require the use of ligands for stabilizing the nickel catalyst in most cases or additional activators for activation of allylic alcohols.     

Tandem Thorpe Reaction/Palladium Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation: Access to Chiral β‐enaminonitriles with Excellent Enantioselectivity

A new type of nucleophile, a 3‐imino nitrile carbanion generated in situ by Thorpe reaction of acetonitrile with a base, was developed successfully and applied in a Pd‐catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation with mono‐substituted allyl reagents under Pd/SIOCPhox catalysis, affording β‐enaminonitrile products in high yields with excellent regio‐ and enantioselectivities.     

Iridium‐Catalyzed Regio‐ and Enantioselective Allylic Substitution of Silyl Dienolates Derived from Dioxinones

Reported herein is the iridium‐catalyzed regio‐ and enantioselective allylic substitution reactions of unstabilized silyl dienolates derived from dioxinones. Asymmetric allylic substitution of a variety of allylic trichloroethyl carbonates with these silyl dienolates gave γ‐allylated products selectively in 60–84 % yield and 90–98 % ee.     

Nickel‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling of Organolithium Reagents with (Hetero)Aryl Electrophiles

Nickel‐catalyzed selective cross‐coupling of aromatic electrophiles (bromides, chlorides, fluorides and methyl ethers) with organolithium reagents is presented. The use of a commercially available nickel N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complex allows the reaction with a variety of (hetero)aryllithium compounds, including those prepared via metal‐halogen exchange or direct metallation, whereas a commercially available electron‐rich nickel‐bisphosphine complex smoothly converts alkyllithium species into the corresponding coupled product. These reactions proceed rapidly (1 h) under mild conditions (room temperature) while avoiding the undesired formation of reduced or homocoupled products.