Divergent Catalysis: Catalytic Asymmetric [4+2] Cycloaddition of Palladium Enolates

J Am Chem Soc. 2023 May 24;145(20):11301-11310. doi: 10.1021/jacs.3c02104. Epub 2023 May 15.

Abstract

An asymmetric decarboxylative [4+2] cycloaddition from a catalytically generated chiral Pd enolate was developed, forging four contiguous stereocenters in a single transformation. This was achieved through a strategy termed divergent catalysis, wherein departure from a known catalytic cycle enables novel reactivity of a targeted intermediate prior to re-entry into the original cycle. Mechanistic studies including quantum mechanics calculations, Eyring analysis, and KIE studies offer insight into the reaction mechanism.