Pyranoside Phosphite‐Oxazoline Ligand Library: Highly Efficient Modular P,N Ligands for Palladium‐Catalyzed Allylic Substitution Reactions. A Study of the Key Palladium Allyl Intermediates

We have screened a library of modular phosphite‐oxazoline ligands for asymmetric allylic substitution reactions. The library is efficiently prepared from the commercially available and cheap D‐glucosamine. The introduction of a phosphite moiety into the ligand design is highly advantageous for the product outcome. Therefore, this ligand library affords good‐to‐excellent reaction rates [TOFs up to 600 mol substrate×(mol Pd×h)−1] and enantioselectivities (ees up to 99%) and, at the same time, shows a broad scope for mono‐, di‐ and trisubstituted linear hindered and unhindered substrates and cyclic substrates. The NMR studies on the palladium allyl intermediates provide a deeper understanding about the effect of the ligand parameters on the origin of enantioselectivity.