Copper(I) catalyzed asymmetric 1,2-addition of Grignard reagents to α-methyl substituted α,β-unsaturated ketones.

The first catalytic enantioselective 1,2-addition of Grignard reagents to ketones is presented. This additive-free copper(I) catalyzed 1,2-addition provides chiral allylic tertiary alcohols with an er of up to 98:2 and excellent yields due to the complete shift of overwhelming 1,4-selectivity of copper(I)-catalysts towards 1,2-selectivity in the addition reaction to enones. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012