Dual palladium- and proline-catalyzed allylic alkylation of enolizable ketones and aldehydes with allylic alcohols.

The dual Pd/proline-catalyzed alpha-allylation reaction of a variety of enolizable ketones and aldehydes with allylic alcohols is described. In this reaction, the choice of a large-bite angle ligand Xantphos and proline as the organocatalyst was essential for generation of the crucial pi-allyl Pd intermediate from allylic alcohol, followed by nucleophilic attack of the enamine formed in situ from the corresponding enolizable carbonyl substrate and proline.