Enantioselective Palladium-Catalyzed Intermolecular Four-Component Acylcarbonylation of Alkenes: A Modular Approach to Chiral γ-Keto Esters

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric acylcarbonylation of alkenes is a straightforward strategy for preparing optically active γ-keto esters. Owing to the low reactivity of acyl-Pd(II) species toward alkenes, documented methodologies have focused on intramolecular three-component reactions. Herein, we communicate the palladium-catalyzed asymmetric intermolecular four-component acylcarbonylation of alkenes under mild conditions, enabled by electron-rich pyridine-oxazoline (Pyox) ligands. This method conforms to aliphatic alkenes and styrenes, affording chiral γ-keto esters in good yields and enantioselectivity. The design of the Pyox ligand crucially influences both the chemo- and enantioselectivity. Furthermore, the resulting products serve as valuable intermediates for synthesizing value-added fine chemicals.