Pd-Catalyzed Enantioselective Ring Opening/Cross-Coupling and Cyclopropanation of Cyclobutanones

A palladium-catalyzed enantioselective sequential ring-opening/cross-coupling of cyclobutanones is disclosed that provides chiral indanones bearing C3-quaternary stereocenters. The reaction process involves palladium-catalyzed nucleophilic addition of cyclobutanones and aryl halides, enantioselective beta-carbon elimination, and intermolecular trapping of a transient sigma-alkylpalladium complex with boronic acids. Alternatively, an intramolecular cyclopropanation is realized through C-H bond functionalization in the absence of external coupling reagents, affording chiral cyclopropane-fused-indanones in good yields and enantioselectivity.