Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Asymmetric Borylative Cyclization of Cyclohexadienone-Containing 1,6-Dienes: An Experimental and DFT Study

Abstract

Because of the inherent difficulty in differentiating two olefins, the development of metal-catalyzed asymmetric cyclization of 1,6-dienes remains challenging. Herein, we describe the first rhodium(III)-catalyzed asymmetric borylative cyclization of cyclohexadienone-tethered mono-, 1,1-di-, and (<i>E</i>)-1,2-disubstituted alkenes (1,6-dienes), affording optically pure <i>cis</i>-bicyclic skeletons bearing three or four contiguous stereocenters with high yields (25-93%), and excellent diastereoselectivities (>20:1 dr) and enantioselectivities (90-99% ee). This mild catalytic approach is generally compatible with a wide range of functional groups, which allows several facile conversions of the cyclization products. Furthermore, on the basis of our SAESI-MS experiment and computational study, a Rh(I)/(III) catalytic cycle is proposed in this tandem reaction, and the Rh(I) active species catalyzes the overall transformation via sequential oxidative addition of B₂pin₂, olefin insertion, cyclizing conjugate addition, and reductive elimination. The irreversible conjugate addition determines the overall regioselectivity of borylative cyclization, and the ring strain favors the formation of 5,6-bicyclic structure. This highlights the control of ring strain in diene cyclizations, which provides a useful basis for future reaction designs.