Pd-Catalyzed Asymmetric β-Hydride Elimination en Route to Chiral Allenes

We wish to report our preliminary results on the discovery and development of a catalytic, asymmetric beta-hydride elimination from vinyl Pd(II)-complexes derived from enol triflates to access chiral allenes. To achieve this, we developed a class of chiral phosphite ligands that demonstrate high enantioselectivity, allow access of either allene enantiomer, and are readily synthesized. The methodology is demonstrated on over 20 substrates, and application to the formal asymmetric total synthesis of the natural product, (+)-epibatidine, is also provided.