A Simple, Nontoxic Iron System for the Allylation of Zinc Enolates

Diiron nonacarbonyl in combination with triphenylphosphine has been identified as a low-cost and environmentally benign catalyst system for the allylation of zinc enolates generated in situ from copper-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition reactions. The catalyst system provides the allylated product in modest to good yields at room temperature with unprecedented diastereoselectivity in cyclic enone systems. While triphenylphosphine was uniquely effective among the investigated ligands, the exact nature of the active catalytic species remains unknown.