Catalytic asymmetric cross-dehydrogenative coupling: activation of C-H bonds by a cooperative bimetallic catalyst system.

A cooperative bimetallic catalyst system was applied in the catalytic asymmetric cross-dehydrogenative coupling of β-ketoesters and xanthene. Various optically active xanthene derivatives bearing a quaternary stereogenic carbon center were obtained in moderate to good yields (up to 90%) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee). Meanwhile, a transition-state model was proposed to explain the origin of the asymmetric induction.