Rhodium-Catalyzed Intermolecular Hydroacylation

Significance

The authors reported previously the enantioselective hydroacylation of alkenes and alkynes but experienced problems with 1,1- or 1,2-disubstituted alkenes. Reasoning 1,3-disubstituted allenes could fill this void as the authors found a catalytic system that allowed access the nonconjugated enones. A simple rhodium phosphine system was found to provide the hydroacylation of allenes to β-S-substituted aromatic aldehydes.