Palladium/chiral phosphine–olefin complexes: X-ray crystallographic analysis and the use in catalytic asymmetric allylic alkylation

Abstract

X-ray crystallographic studies on π-allylpalladium complexes coordinated with a chiral phosphine–olefin ligand (−)- 1b demonstrate that the phosphine ligand shows a larger trans-influence than the π-bound olefin. The palladium/chiral phosphine–olefin complex efficiently catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of 1,3-diphenyl-2-propenyl acetate with 96% enantioselectivity.