Synthesis of α-Quaternary Formimides and Aldehydes through Umpolung Asymmetric Copper Catalysis with Isocyanides.

A highly regio- and enantioselective copper-catalyzed three-component coupling of isocyanides, hydrosilanes, and γ,γ-disubstituted allylic phosphates/chlorides to afford chiral α-quaternary formimides was enabled by the combined use of our original chiral naphthol-carbene ligand as a functional Cu-supporting ligand and LiOtBu as a stoichiometric Lewis base for Si. The formimides were readily converted to α-quaternary aldehydes.

Construction of quaternary stereogenic carbon centers through copper-catalyzed enantioselective allylic cross-coupling with alkylboranes.

A combination of an in situ generated chiral Cu(I) /DTBM-MeO-BIPHEP catalyst system and EtOK enabled the enantioselective SN 2'-type allylic cross-coupling between alkylborane reagents and γ,γ-disubstituted primary allyl chlorides with enantiocontrol at a useful level. The reaction generates a stereogenic quaternary carbon center having three sp(3) -alkyl groups and a vinyl group. This protocol allowed the use of terminal alkenes as nucleophile precursors, thus representing a formal reductive allylic cross-coupling of terminal alkenes.