Enantioselective Iridium-Catalyzed Carbonyl Allylations with Allyl Acetate

Significance

An alternative procedure for carbonyl allylation (C-allylation), that avoids the use of preformed allyl metal reagents, is presented using an iridium catalyst and phosphine ligand. C-Allyl­ation of alcohols or aldehydes can be accomplished in good yields and excellent enantioselectivities for a broad scope of substrates. Carbonyl crotylation of alcohols can also be achieved, although with currently low diastereoselectivities. A drawback of the methodology is that it currently requires a large excess of allyl acetate with respect to the alcohol or aldehyde.