Enantioselective allylation of aldehydes catalyzed by new bifunctional bisoxazoline–metal complexes

The asymmetric allylation reactions of aldehydes catalyzed by a 10 mol % bisoxazoline complex bearing a phosphine oxide moiety, which was newly designed and synthesized from l-serine, afforded the corresponding homoallylic alcohols in 48–74% yields with 39–86% ee. The reaction proceeds with the dual activation of the aldehyde and allylsilane by the Lewis acid and base of the catalyst. The evidence for the activation of the allylsilane was clarified by the 31P NMR spectra.