Allylic alkylations catalyzed by palladium-bis(oxazoline) complexes derived from heteroarylidene malonate derivatives

A series of simple heteroarylidene malonate-type bis(oxazoline) ligands 4 and 5 were applied to the palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation reaction, and the ligand 4a bearing a phenyl group afforded excellent enantioselectivity (up to 96% ee) for the allylic alkylation product. Other substrates were also examined, giving the allylic alkylated products in high yield but with poor ee values.