Utility of the iridium complex of the pybox ligand in regio- and enantioselective allylic substitution.

The viability of the iridium complex of pybox as chiral catalyst in allylic substitutions and the enantioselective synthesis of branched products was studied. Among several chiral ligands evaluated, the iridium complex of pybox having a phenyl group catalyzed the reaction with high activity to form the branched amines with good enantioselectivities when hydroxylamine, amine, and aniline were employed as a nucleophile. The allylic substitution with oximes proceeded smoothly to give the branched oxime ethers with good enantioselectivities. [reaction: see text]