Uniting C1-Ammonium Enolates and Transition Metal Electrophiles via Cooperative Catalysis: The Direct Asymmetric α‑Allylation of Aryl Acetic Acid Esters

The direct, catalytic, asymmetric
α-functionalization of
acyclic esters constitutes a significant challenge in the area of
asymmetric catalysis, particularly where the configurational integrity
of the products is problematic. Through the unprecedented merger of
two independent, yet complementary, catalysis events it has been possible
to facilitate the direct asymmetric α-allylation of readily
available aryl acetic acid esters. Since enantioselection is determined
by the nucleophile, this conceptual approach to cooperative catalysis
constitutes a potentially general solution to the direct catalytic
asymmetric α-functionalization of acyclic esters.