Pd-Catalyzed Enantioselective Heck Reaction of Aryl Triflates and Alkynes.

The first palladium-catalyzed asymmetric Heck reaction between aryl triflates and alkynes to give trisubstituted allenes with high er under mild reaction conditions is described. The key to the success is the discovery and fine-tuning of the different N-substituents of Xu-Phos, which ensure the enantioselectivity and reactivity. Synthetic transformation of the chiral allenes with high chirality transfer was also demonstrated.