CuH-Catalyzed Asymmetric Reductive Amidation of α,β-Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids

The direct enantioselective copper hydride (CuH)-catalyzed synthesis of beta-chiral amides from alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acids and secondary amines under mild reaction conditions is reported. The method utilizes readily accessible carboxylic acids and tolerates a variety of functional groups in the beta-position including several heteroarenes. A subsequent iridium-catalyzed reduction to gamma-chiral amines can be performed in the same flask without purification of the intermediate amides.