A new class of chiral P,N-ligands and their application in palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution reactions.

An efficient and modular synthesis of a series of chiral nonracemic P,N-ligands is reported. The P,N-ligands were prepared from 2-chloro-4-methyl-6,7-dihydro-5H-[1]pyrindine-7-one and a series of substituted chiral C(2)-symmetric 1,2-ethanediols (R = Me, i-Pr, and Ph). The ligands were evaluated for use in catalytic asymmetric synthesis in the palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution reactions of a racemic allylic acetate and dimethyl malonate. In the case of the P,N-ligand (R = Ph), the reaction was found to be highly stereoselective (90% ee).