A Highly Enantio- and Diastereoselective Molybdenum-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation of Cyanoesters

An efficient molybdenum-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation (Mo-AAA) of cyanoester nucleophiles is reported. A number of highly functionalized branched cyanoesters containing a quaternary carbon stereocenter with a vicinal tertiary stereocenter are obtained. This method generates a number of functionalized cyanoesters in excellent yield and chemoselectivity in good to excellent diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity.