2004 Volume 62 Issue 1 Pages 59-69
The first chiral isoxazoline ligands bearing spiro skeleton are developed. The spiro bis (isoxazoline) ligands (SPRIXs) are readily synthesized from diethyl malonate via double intramolecular nitrile oxide cycloaddition as a key step. The complex of (M, S, S) -R-SPRIX and Pd (OCOCF3)2 promoted the catalytic asymmetric Wacker-type cyclization of alkenyl alcohols to give optically active cyclic ethers for the first time. Furthermore, starting from dialkenyl alcohol, the enantioselective tandem cyclization via oxy-palladation was achieved with up to 95% ee. Asymmetric ligands other than SPRIXs promote neither the Wacker-type reaction nor the tandem reaction.
