Chiral Pincer Carbodicarbene Ligands for Enantioselective Rhodium-Catalyzed Hydroarylation of Terminal and Internal 1,3-Dienes with Indoles

Catalytic enantioselective addition of N-heteroarenes to terminal and internal 1,3-dienes is reported. Reactions are promoted by 5 mol % of Rh catalyst supported by a new chiral pincer carbodicarbene ligand that delivers allylic substituted arenes in up to 95% yield and up to 98:2 er. Mechanistic and X-ray evidence is presented that supports that the reaction proceeds via a Rh(III)-eta(3-)allyl.