Catalytic Asymmetric Allylation of Unsaturated Methylidene Ketones

Significance

Asymmetric addition of allylpinacolato borane to methylidene unsaturated ketones is accomplished in the presence of a chiral palladium catalyst. The products are obtained in good to high yield and in high enantioselectivity. Importantly, this method tolerates aryl- and alkyl-substituted substrates as well as benzyl and silyl ethers. These products should be fine to be used as chiral building blocks for complex molecule synthesis.