Bidentate NHC-based chiral ligands for efficient Cu-catalyzed enantioselective allylic alkylations: structure and activity of an air-stable chiral Cu complex.

Cu-catalyzed addition of alkylzinc reagents to a range of allylic phosphates is promoted efficiently and with high enantioselectivity to afford tertiary as well as quaternary carbon centers (up to 98% ee). Reactions proceed to completion with 0.5-5 mol % catalyst loading and are best promoted by commercially available CuCl2.

Acid-Base Adducts of Catalytically Active Titanium(IV) Lewis Acids.

A series of monomeric Lewis acid-base adducts of the Diels-Alder catalyst Ti(O-2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3))(2)Cl(2) have been synthesized from bidentate diphosphines and diamines, Ti(O-2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3))(2)Cl(2)L(2) (L(2) = dmpe, depe, dpeda, and dmeda). X-ray crystal structures of Ti(O-2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3))(2)Cl(2)(dmpe) and Ti(O-2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3))(2)Cl(2)(dpeda) establish a distorted octahedral coordination environment with trans-chloride ligands. Bidentate ligands that were also studied but did not form isolable complexes with the Ti(IV) Lewis acid include dppe, tmeda, and binam.