Palladium-catalyzed stereospecific cross-coupling of enantioenriched allylic alcohols with boronic acids.

In the presence of 2.5 mol% Pd2(dba)3-TMEDA (1 : 4), a range of enantioenriched allylic alcohols smoothly coupled with boronic acids in a highly regioselective fashion with inversion of configuration to afford structurally diverse alkenes in good yields with perfect retention of ee.

Catalytic asymmetric Pictet-Spengler-type reaction for the synthesis of optically active indolo[3,4-cd][1]benzazepines.

A new strategy has been introduced to develop a catalytic asymmetric Pictet-Spengler-type reaction by replacing the aldehyde with an imine. A range of 4-(2-aminoaryl)indoles smoothly undergo the chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed asymmetric Pictet-Spengler-type reaction with imines at room temperature to give structurally diverse indolo[3,4-cd][1]benzazepines in good to excellent yields and ee.