Cover Feature: Rhodium‐Catalyzed Asymmetric [2+2+2] Cycloaddition of 1,6‐Enynes with Racemic Secondary Allylic Alcohols through Kinetic Resolution (Chem. Eur. J. 17/2020)

Abstract

We have established that a cationic rhodium(I)/P-phos complex catalyzes the asymmetric [2+2+2] cycloaddition of 1,6-enynes with racemic secondary allylic alcohols to produce the corresponding chiral bicyclic cyclohexenes, possessing three stereogenic centers, as a single diastereomer with excellent ee values. Mechanistic experiments revealed that the present cycloaddition proceeds through the kinetic resolution of the racemic secondary allylic alcohols, in which one enantiomer preferentially reacts with the 1,6-enyne. This cover feature uses a mirror to portray how one enantiomer reacts preferentially over the other enantiomer. Also, the starry sky on the background is inspired by the structure of the bicyclic cyclohexene. More information can be found in the Communication by K. Tanaka et al. on page 3698.