Proline-based P, N ligands in asymmetric allylation and the Heck reaction

A series of phosphine-oxazoline ligands based on proline are reported. These ligands are synthesized from commercially available trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline in four steps. The ability of this type of ligand to catalyze allylic alkylation in an asymmetric fashion as well as the asymmetric Heck reaction is reported. The best of these ligands gave a palladium complex, which catalyzed the addition of dimethylmalonate to cyclopentenyl acetate in excellent yield and up to 96% ee. This same system catalyzed the Heck reaction between dihydrofuran and cyclohexene in up to 86% ee. These ligands appear to differ from the traditional phosphine-oxazoline ligands in that the stereochemistry of the stereogenic carbon next to the oxazoline is not necessarily the dominant chiral center in the induction of selectivity.