Enantioselective conjugate addition of dialkylzinc to cyclic enones catalyzed by chiral binaphthyldiamine-copper(I) complexes

The enantioselective conjugate addition of dialkylzinc (R2Zn) to cyclic enones was examined using chiral binaphthyldiamine-copper(I) catalysts. Under the present reaction conditions, chiral C2-symmetric [RZn(II)]2-diamine-Cu(I) complexes were formed from chiral binaphthyldiamine, R2Zn, and copper(I or II) chloride in situ. The reaction of 2-cyclohexenone with Et2Zn proceeded smoothly in the presence of the corresponding chiral copper(I) complex (5 mol %) and achiral 2,6-diphenylaniline (10 mol %), and the desired Et-adduct was obtained with up to 76% ee in 95% yield.