Asymmetric catalysis of ene reactions with trifluoropyruvate catalyzed by dicationic palladium(II) complexes

Chiral dicationic SEGPHOS–Pd(II) complex achieves a high chemical yield, (E)-olefin selectivity, anti-diastereoselectivity, along with high enantioselectivity even with less reactive mono- and 1,2-disubstituted olefins in this much less reactive ketone–ene reactions. The high levels of enantioselectivity stem from the effective shielding with diphenyl groups on phosphines caused by the narrow dihedral angle of metal complexes with SEGPHOS.