Palladium-catalyzed deracemization of allylic carbonates in water with formation of allylic alcohols: hydrogen carbonate ion as nucleophile in the palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution and kinetic resolution.

The palladium-catalyzed deracemization of racemic cyclic and acyclic allylic methyl carbonates in water in the presence of N,N'-(1R,2R)-1,2-cyclohexanediylbis[2-(diphenylphophino)benzamide] proceeds with high enantioselectivities to give the corresponding allylic alcohols in high yields. This deracemization involves a palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution with the in-situ-formed hydrogen carbonate ion and an irreversible decomposition of the intermediate allylic hydrogen carbonates, with formation of the corresponding allylic alcohols. The palladium-catalyzed reaction of racemic cyclic allylic acetates with potassium hydrogen carbonate in water in the presence of the chiral bisphosphane proceeds with a highly selective kinetic resolution to give the corresponding allylic alcohols and allylic acetates.