Cu-Catalyzed Enantioselective Alkylarylation of Vinylarenes Enabled by Chiral Binaphthyl–BOX Hybrid Ligands

Abstract

Transition-metal-catalyzed radical relay coupling reactions have recently emerged as one of the most powerful methods to achieve difunctionalization of olefins. However, there has been limited success in applying this method to asymmetric catalysis using an effective chiral ligand. Herein we report the Cu-catalyzed enantioselective alkylarylation of vinylarenes using alkylsilyl peroxides as alkyl radical sources. This reaction proceeds under practical reaction conditions and affords chiral 1,1-diarylalkane structures that are found in a variety of bioactive molecules. Notably, a highly enantioselective reaction was accomplished by combining chiral bis(oxazoline) ligands with chiral binaphthyl scaffolds.