Asymmetric π-allylic etherification of cycloalkenyl esters with phenols in water using a resin-supported chiral palladium complex

Catalytic asymmetric etherification of cycloalkenyl esters with phenolic nucleophiles was achieved in water as the sole reaction medium under heterogeneous conditions by using 2 mol % palladium of a PS-PEG resin-supported palladium-imidazoindolephosphine complex to give optically active aryl(cycloalkenyl) ethers with up to 94% ee.