Enantioselective carbonyl propargylation by iridium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenative coupling of alcohols and propargyl chlorides.

It takes alkynes! Exposure of propargyl chlorides to primary benzylic alcohols in the presence of [Ir(cod){(R)-segphos}]OTf (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene, segphos = 5,5'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-4,4'-bi-1,3-benzodioxole, Tf = trifluoromethanesulfonyl) results in hydrogen exchange to give allenyliridium-aldehyde pairs that combine to form products of propargylation with high ee value (see scheme). The reaction can also be conducted using aldehydes.