1,3-Dithianes as Acyl Anion Equivalents in Pd-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Substitution.

A Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution with 1,3-dithianes as acyl anion equivalents has been developed in high yields and excellent enantioselectivities. The reaction was performed on a gram scale, and the corresponding alkylated products were conveniently converted into several biologically active products. This work provides an alternative strategy utilizing electrophilic carbonyl compounds as nucleophilic species in a Pd-catalyzed allylic substitution.