Catalytic Asymmetric Umpolung Allylation of Imines

Here we report an iridium-catalyzed asymmetric umpolung allylation of imines as a general approach to prepare 1,4-disubstituted homoallylic amines, a fundamental class of compounds that are hitherto not straightforward to obtain. This transformation proceeds by a cascade involving an intermolecular regioselective allylation of 2-azaallyl anions and a following 2-aza-Cope rearrangement, utilizes easily available reagents and catalysts, tolerates a substantial scope of substrates, and readily leads to various enantioenriched, 1,4-disubstituted homoallylic primary amines.