Asymmetric formal sp²-hydrocarbonations of dienes and alkynes via palladium hydride catalysis

Transition metal-catalyzed asymmetric hydrofunctionalizations of unsaturated bonds via pi-n(3) substitution have emerged as a reliable method to construct stereogenic centers, and mainly rely on the use of heteroatom-based or carbon nucleophiles bearing acidic C-H bonds. In comparison, sp(2) carbon nucleophiles are generally not under consideration because of enormous challenges in cleaving corresponding inert sp(2) C-H bonds. Here, we report a protocol to achieve asymmetric formal sp(2) hydrocarbonations, including hydroalkenylation, hydroallenylation and hydroketenimination of both 1,3-dienes and alkynes via hydroalkylation and Wittig reaction cascade. A series of unachievable motifs via hydrofunctionalizations, such as di-, tri- and tetra-substituted alkenes, di-, tri- and tetra-substituted allenes, and tri-substituted ketenimines in allyl skeletons are all facilely constructed in high regio-, diastereo- and enantioselectivities with this cascade design. Stereodivergent synthesis of all four stereoisomers of 1,4-diene bearing a stereocenter and Z/E-controllable olefin unit highlights the power of present protocol. An interesting mechanistic feature is revealed that alkyne actually undergoes hydrocarbonation via the formation of conjugated diene intermediate, different from conventional viewpoint that the hydrofunctionalization of alkynes only involves allene species.