Phosphine-catalyzed regiospecific allylic amination and dynamic kinetic resolution of Morita-Baylis-Hillman acetates.

Exposure of Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) acetates to tertiary phosphine catalysts in the presence of 4,5-dichlorophthalimide enables regiospecific allylic substitution through a tandem S(N)2'-S(N)2' mechanism. Through the use of the chiral phosphine catalyst (R)-Cl-MeO-BIPHEP, chiral racemic MBH acetate 4 is converted to the corresponding allylic amination product in 80% yield and 56% enantiomeric excess, thus establishing the feasibility of dynamic kinetic resolution. [reaction: see text]