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The first highly enantioselective iridium-catalyzed allylic alkylation that provides access to products bearing an allylic all-carbon quaternary stereogenic center has been developed. The reaction utilizes a masked acyl cyanide (MAC) reagent, which enables the one-pot preparation of α-quaternary carboxylic acids, esters, and amides with a high degree of enantioselectivity. The utility of these products is further explored through a series of diverse product transformations.

Transition-metal-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of enolates is a powerful method for the formation of carbon− carbon bonds. Within this field, palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation reactions have undoubtedly been the most studied. Aside from limited cases, palladium catalysts preferentially form the linear substitution product through alkylation at the less-substituted terminus of the allylic electrophile (Scheme 1). However, in contrast to palladium, most other transition metals (e.g., Mo, W, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ni, Pt, and Ir) have been shown to favor the construction of the branched product, with iridium catalysts being some of the most efficient and selective. The potential application of these chiral, branched products to the synthesis of natural products and biologically active compounds has motivated the development of practical and reliable transition-metal-catalyzed methods for their construction.

The first enantioselective iridium-catalyzed allylic alkylation reaction of a masked acyl cyanide (MAC) reagent has been developed. The transformation allows for the use of an umpoled synthon, which serves as a carbon monoxide equivalent. The reaction proceeds with good yield and excellent selectivity up to gram scale for a wide range of substituted allylic electrophiles, delivering products amenable to the synthesis of highly desirable, enantioenriched vinylated α-aryl carbonyl derivatives.

The development of the first enantioselective transition‐metal‐catalyzed allylic alkylation providing access to acyclic products bearing vicinal all‐carbon quaternary centers is disclosed. The iridium‐catalyzed allylic alkylation reaction proceeds with excellent yields and selectivities for a range of malononitrile‐derived nucleophiles and trisubstituted allylic electrophiles. The utility of these sterically congested products is explored through a series of diverse chemo‐ and diastereoselective product transformations to afford a number of highly valuable, densely functionalized building blocks, including those containing vicinal all‐carbon quaternary stereocenters.

A catalytic, enantioselective formal synthesis of (+)-dichroanone and (+)-taiwaniaquinone H is reported. The all-carbon quaternary stereocenter was constructed by asymmetric conjugate addition catalyzed by a palladium(II) (S)-tert-butylpyridinooxazoline complex. The unexpected formation of a [3.2.1] bicyclic intermediate required the identification of a new route. Analysis of the Hammett constants for para-substituted arenes enabled the rational design of a highly enantioselective conjugate addition substrate that led to the completion of the formal synthesis.

Rapid access to enantioenriched spirocycles possessing a 1,4-dicarbonyl moiety spanning an all-carbon quaternary stereogenic spirocenter was achieved using a masked bromomethyl vinyl ketone reagent. The developed protocol entails an enantioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation reaction followed by a one-pot unmasking/RCM sequence that provides access to the spirocyclic compounds in good yields and selectivities.

The development of the first enantio-, diastereo-, and regioselective iridium-catalyzed allylic alkylation reaction of prochiral enolates to form an all-carbon quaternary stereogenic center with an aliphatic-substituted allylic electrophile is disclosed. The reaction proceeds with good to excellent selectivity with a range of substituted tetralone-derived nucleophiles furnishing products bearing a newly formed vicinal tertiary and all-carbon quaternary stereodyad. The utility of this protocol is further demonstrated via a number of synthetically diverse product transformations.

Transition-metal-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of enolates is a powerful method for the formation of carbon− carbon bonds. Within this field, palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation reactions have undoubtedly been the most studied. Aside from limited cases, palladium catalysts preferentially form the linear substitution product through alkylation at the less-substituted terminus of the allylic electrophile (Scheme 1). However, in contrast to palladium, most other transition metals (e.g., Mo, W, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ni, Pt, and Ir) have been shown to favor the construction of the branched product, with iridium catalysts being some of the most efficient and selective. The potential application of these chiral, branched products to the synthesis of natural products and biologically active compounds has motivated the development of practical and reliable transition-metal-catalyzed methods for their construction.

This account describes our laboratory’s efforts in the development of a palladium-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of arylboronic acids to cyclic conjugate acceptors. Specifically, we highlight the study of this transformation in the following areas: (a) construction of all-carbon quaternary stereocenters, (b) elucidation of the reaction mechanism, (c) addition to heterocyclic acceptors to generate tertiary stereocenters, and (d) application in the synthesis of natural products.

This account describes our laboratory’s efforts in the development of a palladium-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of arylboronic acids to cyclic conjugate acceptors. Specifically, we highlight the study of this transformation in the following areas: (a) construction of all-carbon quaternary stereocenters, (b) elucidation of the reaction mechanism, (c) addition to heterocyclic acceptors to generate tertiary stereocenters, and (d) application in the synthesis of natural products.