ABSTRACT
[reaction: see text] The addition of stoichiometric quantities of water accelerates both the trimethylaluminum-mediated aromatic Claisen reaction and the chiral zirconocene-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination of terminal alkenes. The two reactions occur in a tandem sequence resulting in the selective formation of two new C-C and one C-O bond after oxidative quench of the intermediate trialkylalane.
ABSTRACT
The zirconocene-catalyzed enantioselective methylalumination of terminal alkenes is greatly accelerated in the presence of water. Terminal olefins that are inert under the standard conditions can be readily methylated in good yields and with good to high enantioselectivities. Furthermore, methylaluminoxane is also shown to accelerate the reaction, albeit at a lesser rate.
