Intermolecular Enantioselective Heck–Matsuda Arylations of Acyclic Olefins: Application to the Synthesis of β-Aryl-γ-lactones and β-Aryl Aldehydes

We describe herein a synthetically useful method for the enantioselective intermolecular Heck-Matsuda arylation of acyclic allylic alcohols. Aryldiazonium tetrafluoroborates were applied as arylating agents in the presence of Pd(TFA)2 and a chiral, commercially available, bisoxazoline ligand. The methodology is straightforward, robust, scalable up to a few grams, and of broad scope allowing the synthesis of a range of β-aryl-carbonyl compounds in good to high enantioselectivities and yields. This new enantioselective Heck-Matsuda arylation allowed the synthesis of β-aryl-γ-lactones and β-aryl aldehydes, which play a vital role as key intermediates in the synthesis of the biologically active compounds, such as (R)-baclofen, (R)-rolipram, (S)-curcumene, (S)-dehydrocurcumene, and (S)-tumerone.