An enantioselective intramolecular allylic C-H oxidation to generate optically active chromans has been accomplished under the cooperative catalysis of a palladium complex of chiral phosphoramidite ligand and 2-fluorobenzoic acid. Mechanistic studies suggest that this reaction commences with a Pd-catalyzed allylic C-H activation event and then undergoes asymmetric allylic alkoxylation. The synthetic significance of the method has been embodied by concisely building up a key chiral intermediate to access (+)-diversonol.

The asymmetric allylic alkylation (AAA), which features employing active allylic substrates, has historical significance in organic synthesis. The allylic C−H alkylation is principally more atom-and step-economic than the classical allylic functionalizations and thus can be considered a transformative variant. However, asymmetric allylic C−H alkylation reactions are still scarce and yet underdeveloped. Herein, we have found that Z/E-and regioselectivities in the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic C−H alkylation of 1,4-dienes are highly dependent on the type of nucleophiles. A highly stereoselective allylic C−H alkylation of 1,4-dienes with azlactones has been established by palladium-chiral phosphoramidite catalysis. The protocol proceeds under mild conditions and can accommodate a wide scope of substrates, delivering structurally divergent α,αdisubstituted α-amino acid surrogates in high yields and excellent levels of diastereo-, Z/E-, regio-, and enantioselectivities. Notably, this method provides key chiral intermediates for an efficient synthesis of lepadiformine marine alkaloids. Experimental and computational studies on the reaction mechanism suggest a novel concerted proton and two-electron transfer process for the allylic C−H cleavage and reveal that the Z/E-and regioselectivities are governed by the geometry and coordination pattern of nucleophiles.

The first enantioselective α-allylation of aldehydes with terminal alkenes has been realized by combining asymmetric counteranion catalysis and palladium-catalyzed allylic C-H activation. This method can tolerate a wide scope of α-branched aromatic aldehydes and terminal alkenes, thus affording allylation products in high yields and with good to excellent levels of enantioselectivity. Importantly, the findings suggest a new strategy for the future creation of enantioselective C-H/C-H coupling reactions.