Chiral (acyclic diaminocarbene)gold(I)-catalyzed dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation of propargyl esters.

ABSTRACT

A highly enantioselective transformation catalyzed by chiral (acyclic diaminocarbene)gold(I) complexes is reported. The enantioselective synthesis of 2-substituted chromenyl pivalates from racemic phenol-substituted propargyl pivalates was developed. Rearrangement of the substrates in the presence of cationic gold gave allene intermediates, whose cyclization resulted in formation of enantioenriched product through a dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation.