Ligand-Accelerated Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Amination of C(sp2)-H Bonds

The first example of the Pd(II)-catalyzed enantioselective amination of aryl C-H bonds is reported. The key to the successful realization of this asymmetric catalytic transformation was the identification of mono-N-protected alpha-amino-O-methylhydroxamic acid (MPAHA) ligands, which promote reactivity under mild conditions and control enantioselectivity. The counteranions in the solvent medium, hexafluoroacetylacetate and acetate, were also found to play key roles in stereocontrol and reactivity enhancement.