The first highly enantioselective Rh-catalyzed enyne cycloisomerization

Abstract

Adding a silver salt to the catalyst [{Rh(diphos)Cl}2] in a noncoordinating solvent in the presence of an enyne substrate resulted in the first highly enantioselective Rh-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,6-enynes to give 1,4-diene products with up to 98 % ee in moderate to excellent yields [Eq. (1)]. (diphos = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)ethane).