Highly enantioselective vinyl additions of vinylaluminum to ketones catalyzed by a titanium(IV) catalyst of (S)-BINOL.

We report a novel asymmetric addition of vinyl group to ketones using vinylaluminum reagents catalyzed by in situ prepared Ti(O(i)Pr)(4) complexes of (S)-BINOL to afford diversified tertiary allylic alochols. Varieties of aromatic ketones bearing either an electron-donating or an electron-withdrawing substituent on the aromatic ring were examined to afford products in excellent enantioselectivities of up to 98% ee with high yields. A 10-fold scale-up reaction afforded the product in a similar yield with a comparable enantioselectivity. More importantly, additions of a variety of vinyl reagents including functionalized vinyls were demonstrated, affording tertiary allylic alcohols with good to excellent enantioselectivities of up to 96% ee.