Highly Chemo- and Stereoselective Catalyst-Controlled Allylic C-H Insertion and Cyclopropanation Using Donor/Donor Carbenes.

The highly chemo-, enantio-, and diastereoselective catalyst-controlled intramolecular allylic C-H insertion and cyclopropanation of donor/donor carbenes are reported. The RuII /Pybox complex selectively catalyzed the intramolecular allylic C-H insertion, providing vinyl-substituted dihydroindoles with greater than 20:1 chemoselectivity and up to greater than 99 % ee. Chiral dirhodium(II) tetracarboxylates, however, selectively promoted the intramolecular cyclopropanation, giving rise to cyclopropane-fused tetrahydroquinoline derivatives in excellent yields with greater than 99:1 chemoselectivity and up to 97 % ee.