Design, synthesis and application of a new type of bifunctional Le-Phos in highly enantioselective γ-addition reactions of N-centered nucleophiles to allenoates.

A novel class of cyclic phosphine derived bifunctional catalysts (Le-Phos) is reported, which can be readily prepared from inexpensive and commercially available starting materials and exhibit good performances in enantioselective γ-addition reactions of N-centered nucleophiles and allenoates under mild conditions. The salient features of this reaction include high product yields, good enantioselectivity, mild reaction conditions, and broad substrate scope and gram-scale scalability.