Highly enantioselective allylation of alpha-ketoesters catalyzed by N,N'-dioxide-In(III) complexes.

An efficient asymmetric allylation of alpha-ketoesters was catalyzed by the N,N'-dioxide-In(III) complex in excellent yields (up to 99%) and high enantioselectivities (up to 94% ee) for a variety of substrates under mild reaction conditions. On the basis of experimental results, a possible catalytic cycle including a transition state has been proposed to explain the origin of the reactivity and asymmetric inductivity, and a bifunctional catalysis was described with Lewis base N-oxide activating tetraallylstannane and Lewis acid indium activating alpha-ketoester.