Asymmetric three-component Tsuji-Trost allylation reaction enabled by chiral aldehyde/palladium combined catalysis.
Jian-Hua LiuWei WenZhu-Lian WuTian CaiYan-Min HuangQi-Xiang GuoPublished in: Chemical science (2024)
Despite the long-standing exploration of the catalytic asymmetric Tsuji-Trost allylation reaction since the mid-20th century, most reported instances have adhered to a two-component approach. Here, we present a remarkably efficient three-component asymmetric allylation reaction enabled by the collaborative action of chiral aldehyde and palladium. A diverse array of NH 2 -unprotected amino acid esters, aryl or alkenyl iodides, and allyl alcohol esters exhibit robust participation in this reaction, resulting in the synthesis of structurally diverse non-proteinogenic α-amino acid esters with favorable experimental outcomes. Mechanistic investigations reveal the dominance of the allylation/Heck coupling cascade in reactions involving electron-rich aryl iodides, while the Heck coupling/allylation cascade emerges as the dominant pathway in reactions involving electron-deficient aryl iodides. This chiral aldehyde/palladium combining catalytic system precisely governs the chemoselectivity of C -allylation and N -allylation, the regioselectivity of linear and branched allylation, and the enantioselectivity of C -allylation products.