Palladium-catalyzed enantioselective linear allylic alkylation of vinyl benzoxazinanones: An inner-sphere mechanism

Abstract

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation (AAA) of vinyl benzoxazinanones has become an important strategy for the synthesis of chiral nitrogen-containing heterocycle compounds. However, the asymmetric synthesis of linear-selective products has rarely been reported. The simultaneous control of regio-, E/Z- and enantioselectivities constitutes a major challenge and inhibits the advancement of this chemistry. Herein, we present a palladium-catalyzed AAA of vinyl benzoxazinanones with α-thiocyanato ketones, affording various chiral thiocyanates characterized with high linear-, E- and stereoselectivities. The reaction has a broad substrate scope and the chiral thiocyanates can be transformed to useful heterocycles. Experimental and computational studies suggest an inner-sphere mechanism for AAA process, which results from the acidic and coordination effect of the nucleophilic substrates with palladium catalyst.