The palladium-catalyzed anti-Markovnikov hydroalkylation of allylic alcohol derivatives.

A palladium-catalyzed hydroalkylation reaction of protected allylic alcohols using alkylzinc bromide reagents is reported. This account includes numerous allylic, homoallylic, and bishomoallylic alcohol derivatives, all with a uniform selectivity of >20:1 for the anti-Markovnikov product. The reaction features the ability to deliver enantiomerically enriched alcohols in unfunctionalized regions, which results from the catalyst avoiding β-hydride elimination at the allylic position.