Catalytic enantioselective [2,3]-rearrangements of amine N-oxides.

The first Pd-catalyzed enantioselective [2,3]-rearrangement of allylic amine N-oxides is described, which formally represents an asymmetric Meisenheimer rearrangement. The mild reaction conditions enable the synthesis of chiral nonracemic aliphatic allylic alcohol derivatives with reactive functional groups. On the basis of preliminary studies, a cyclization-mediated mechanism is proposed.