Rhodium-Catalyzed Parallel Kinetic Resolution of Racemic Internal Allenes Towards Enantiopure Allylic 1,3-Diketones.

A rare case of a parallel kinetic resolution of racemic 1,3-disubstituted allenes by means of a rhodium-catalyzed addition to 1,3-diketones furnishing enantiopure allylic 1,3-diketones is described. Mechanistic experiments demonstrate that the different allene enantiomers react in parallel to either the diastereomeric E- or Z-allylic 1,3-diketones with the same absolute configuration of the newly formed stereogenic center. A broad substrate scope demonstrates the synthetic utility of this new method.