Catalytic Enantioselective Reaction of Allenylnitriles with Imines Using Chiral Bis(imidazoline)s Palladium(II) Pincer Complexes.

The first highly enantioselective reaction of allenylnitriles with imines has been developed. Excellent yields and enantioselectivities were observed for the reaction with various imines using chiral Phebim-PdII complexes. This process offers a simple and efficient synthetic route for various functionalized α-vinylidene-β-aminonitriles and their derivatives.