Enantioselective Iridium-Catalyzed Allylic Alkylation of Racemic Branched Alkyl-Substituted Allylic Acetates with Malonates.

The regio- and enantioselective allylic substitution of branched alkyl-substituted allylic acetates employing malonates has been achieved through a process that calls for Krische's π-allyliridium C,O-benzoate catalyst. The protocol reported herein can be applied to a diverse set of branched alkyl substrates that are generally not well tolerated in the other two types of Ir-catalyzed allylation.