Kinetic Resolution of Helicenols via Palladium-Catalyzed Atroposelective C–C Bond Cleavage/Ring-Opening Reaction

Helicenes represent a class of inherently chiral structures that lack conventional chiral elements, such as stereogenic centers, chiral axes, or plane. The asymmetric synthesis of these helical compounds can be particularly challenging as a result of their pronounced molecular strain. In this study, we report a palladium-catalyzed atroposelective carbon–carbon bond cleavage reaction of helical tertiary alcohols. Because the helical alcohols are configurationally stable, the reaction proceeded through a kinetic resolution pathway, resulting in achieving optically active helicenols alongside the sterically hindered axially chiral products.