Rhodium(I)/Chiral Diene-Catalyzed Enantioselective Addition of Boronic Acids to N-Unsubstituted Isatin-Derived Ketimines.

Enantioselective addition of boronic acids to N-unsubstituted isatin-derived ketimines was realized using rhodium(I)/chiral diene catalysts. The reactions can be performed in the presence of catalytic amounts of a base to give adducts in high yield with high enantioselectivity. Preliminary mechanistic information including a computational model to explain the observed enantioselectivity is also provided.