Reactivity and Selectivity in Hydrovinylation of Strained Alkenes

The scope of Ni(II)-catalyzed hydrovinylation has been extended to strained alkenes such as heterobicyclic [2 2 1]heptanes and cylobutenes Reactions involving the heterobicyclic compounds are rare examples for this class of compounds where the metal-catalyzed C C bond-forming reactions proceed without a concomitant ring-opening process While the enantioselectivity in these systems remains modest, hydrovinylation of endo-5,6-bis-benzyloxymethylbicyclo[2 2 1]hept-2-ene gives excellent yield (>90%) of the product with one of the highest enantioselectivities (95-99% ee) reported for a C-C bond-forming reaction of norbornenes