Enantioselective Construction of Quaternary Stereogenic Centers by the Addition of an Acyl Anion Equivalent to 1,3-Dienes.

We report the enantioselective formation of quaternary stereogenic centers by the intermolecular addition of malononitrile, an acyl anion equivalent, and related pronucleophiles to several 1,3-disubstituted acyclic 1,3-dienes in the presence of a Pd-PHOX catalyst. Products are obtained in up to 88% yield and 99:1 er and in most cases are formed as a single regioisomer. The products' malononitrile unit undergoes oxidative functionalization to afford beta,gamma-unsaturated carbonyls bearing internal olefins and alpha-quaternary stereogenic centers.