Expanding the scope of enantioselective ferroPHANE-promoted [3+2] annulations with alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones.

The planar chiral 2-phospha[3]ferrocenophane I has been shown to be the first efficient nucleophilic organocatalyst for the enantioselective synthesis of cyclopentenylphosphonates, through [3+2] cyclizations between diethyl allenylphosphonate and alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones. The same catalyst has also been applied to the highly enantioselective [3+2] cyclizations of allenic esters with dibenzylideneacetone and analogous bis-enones, leading to functionalised cyclopentenes with either monocyclic or spirocyclic structures (ee 84-95 %). It has been shown that the residual enone functions in the resulting cyclopentenes can be involved in subsequent cyclization steps to afford unprecedented C(2)-symmetric bis-cyclopentenylketones. In order to provide insight into the behaviour of FerroPHANE I as a chiral catalyst in [3+2] cyclisations, the energetically most favoured isomers of the key phosphine-allene adduct have been calculated by DFT methods. Factors likely to control the chiral induction process are highlighted.