Palladium-catalyzed enantioselective ring opening of oxabicyclic alkenes with organozinc halides.

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric ring opening of oxabenzonorbornadienes with readily available organozinc halides under mild conditions in the presence of (S)-Pr(i)-PHOX produces the corresponding 1,2-dihydronaphth-1-ols in good yield and high enantioselectivity. [reaction: see text]