Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Dearomatization of β-Naphthols: Enantioselective Control of Prochiral Nucleophiles

A highly enantioselective rhodium-catalyzed allylic dearomatization of β-naphthols with racemic aryl vinyl carbinol is described. In the presence of a Rh-catalyst derived from [Rh(C 2 H 4 )Cl] 2 and chiral (P, olefin)-ligand with TFA as an additive, the functionalized β-naphthalenone compounds bearing an all-carbon-substituted quaternary stereogenic center were obtained in good yields with excellent enantioselectivity. In addition, this protocol features the enantioselective control of prochiral nucleophiles and provides the first illustration of Rh-catalyzed asymmetric allylic dearomatization.