Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylations of cycloalkenyl acetates with planar chiral phosphino-ferrocene carboxylic acids

New phosphino-ferrocene carboxylic acids with only planar chirality (Sp)-3 and (Sp)-4 have been synthesized conveniently from (S,Sp)-5 and (S,Sp)-7. They were used as ligands in palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation of cycloalkenyl acetates. With ligand (Sp)-4, high yield and good ee were given for reactions of a series of cycloalkenyl acetates and nucleophiles.