Iminopyridine oxazoline iron catalyst for asymmetric hydroboration of 1,1-disubtituted aryl alkenes.

The highly regio- and enantioselective iron-catalyzed anti-Markovnikov hydroboration of 1,1-disubstituted aryl alkenes is reported by using a novel chiral iminopyridine oxazoline (IPO) ligand, in which the iminopyridine group is proposed to stabilize the iron and chiral oxazoline group to control enantioselectivity. This distinct class of reactive IPO ligands will likely be of high value for a large variety of asymmetric transformations using first-row transition metals.