Chirality Transfer via the Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reaction of Optically Active 2-Cyclohexenylsilane: Stereochemical and Mechanistic Aspects

Transition-Metal-Free Synthesis of Enantioenriched Tertiary and Quaternary α-Chiral Allylsilanes

Access to enantioenriched tertiary and quaternary α-chiral allysilanes without any transition-metal catalyst is reported. This was achieved by enantioselective allylic displacement of γ-silylated allylic bromides through Lewis base activation of Grignard reagents by a bidentate chiral NHC ligand. The process afforded both high γ-regio- and enantioselectivity and is compatible with a wide range of silyl groups on the substrates.

Stereoselectivity in Pd-catalysed cross-coupling reactions of enantioenriched nucleophiles

Advances in Pd-catalysed cross-coupling reactions have facilitated the development of stereospecific variants enabling the use of configurationally stable, enantioenriched, main-group organometallic nucleophiles to form C(sp ³)-C(sp ²) bonds. Such stereospecific cross-coupling reactions constitute a powerful synthetic approach to attaining precise 3D control of molecular structure, allowing new stereogenic centres to be readily introduced into molecular architectures. Examples of stereospecific, Pd-catalysed cross-coupling reactions have been reported for isolable enantioenriched alkylboron, alkyltin, alkylgermanium and alkylsilicon nucleophiles. In these reactions, a single, dominant stereospecific pathway of transmetallation to palladium is required to effect efficient chirality transfer to the cross-coupled product. However, the potential for competing stereoretentive and stereoinvertive pathways of transmetallation complicates the stereochemical transfer in these processes and impedes the rational development of new stereospecific cross-coupling variants. In this Review, we describe the use of enantioenriched organometallic nucleophiles in stereospecific, Pd-catalysed cross-coupling reactions. We focus on systems involving well-defined, isolable, enantioenriched nucleophiles in which a clear stereochemical course of transmetallation is followed. Specific modes of electronic activation that influence the reactivity of alkylmetal nucleophiles are described and presented in the context of their impact on the stereochemical course of cross-coupling reactions. We expect that this Review will serve as a valuable resource to assist in deconvoluting the many considerations that potentially impact the stereochemical outcome of Pd-catalysed cross-coupling reactions.

Congested C-C bonds by Pd-catalyzed enantioselective allyl-allyl cross-coupling, a mechanism-guided solution

Under the influence of a chiral bidentate diphosphine ligand, the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric cross-coupling of allylboron reagents and allylic electrophiles establishes 1,5-dienes with adjacent stereocenters in high regio- and stereoselectivity. A mechanistic study of the coupling utilizing reaction calorimetry and density functional theory analysis suggests that the reaction operates through an inner-sphere 3,3'-reductive elimination pathway, which is both rate-defining and stereodefining. Coupled with optimized reaction conditions, this mechanistic detail is used to expand the scope of allyl-allyl couplings to allow the generation of 1,5-dienes with tertiary centers adjacent to quaternary centers as well as a unique set of cyclic structures.

Pd-catalyzed enantioselective allyl-allyl cross-coupling

The Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling of allylic carbonates and allylB(pin) is described. The regioselectivity of this reaction is sensitive to the bite angle of the ligand, with small-bite-angle ligands favoring the branched substitution product. This mode of regioselection is consistent with a reaction that operates by a 3,3' reductive elimination reaction. In the presence of appropriate chiral ligands, this reaction is rendered enantioselective and applies to both aromatic and aliphatic allylic carbonates.

On the stereochemical course of palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of allylic silanolate salts with aromatic bromides

The stereochemical course of palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of an enantioenriched, alpha-substituted, allylic silanolate salt with aromatic bromides has been investigated. The allylic silanolate salt was prepared in high geometrical (Z/E, 94:6) and high enantiomeric (94:6 er) purity by a copper-catalyzed S(N)2' reaction of a resolved allylic carbamate. Eight different aromatic bromides underwent cross-coupling with excellent constitutional site-selectivity and excellent stereospecificity. Stereochemical correlation established that the transmetalation event proceeds through a syn S(E)' mechanism which is interpreted in terms of an intramolecular delivery of the arylpalladium electrophile through a key intermediate that contains a discrete Si-O-Pd linkage.

Asymmetric Ni-catalyzed conjugate allylation of activated enones

The nickel-catalyzed enantioselective addition of allylboronic acid pinacol ester, allylB(pin), is described. This reaction is highly effective with dialkylidene ketones and favors the allylation of the benzylidene site in nonsymmetric substrates. The reaction appears to proceed by conversion of the dialkylidene ketone substrate to an unsaturated pi-allyl complex (I), followed by reductive elimination. Enantioselectivities range from 91 to 94% ee for a range of substrates when chiral ligand 14 is employed.

Palladium-catalyzed arylation of allylic benzoates using hypervalent siloxane derivatives

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of hypervalent arylsiloxane derivatives proceeded in good to excellent yields with allylic benzoates. Arylation occurred with complete inversion of configuration. The scope and limitations of this reaction, an alternative to the Stille coupling, is summarized.