Enantio- and diastereoselective asymmetric allylic alkylation catalyzed by a planar-chiral cyclopentadienyl ruthenium complex

We report asymmetric allylic alkylation of allylic chloride with β-diketones as the prochiral carbon nucleophiles using a planar-chiral Cp'Ru catalyst. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions; the resulting chiral products containing vicinal tertiary stereocenters are obtained with high regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivities. These chiral products can then be transformed into a chiral diol by controlling the four stereocentres.