Room-temperature Rh-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to maleimides and enones in the presence of CF3-substituted MeOBIPHEP analogues

A Rh-based catalytic system implying electron-poor MeOBIPHEP analogues has been developed for the 1,4-addition of boronic acids to maleimides and enones under mild conditions at room temperature and led to succinimide derivatives and arylated cyclic ketones in good to excellent yields and ee. We uncovered the crucial role of the electronic and steric properties of diphosphine ligand and observed a strong boronic acid/ligand dependency in the case of maleimide derivatives and substrate/ligand matching in the case of cyclic enones.