Enantioselective Sequential Catalytic Arylation-Fukuyama Cross-coupling of 1,1-Biszincioalkane Linchpins

1,1-Bis(iodozincio)alkanes are used as dinucleophilic linchpins in an enantioselective double cross-coupling reaction sequence involving aryl iodides and then thioesters. The two catalytic C-C bond-forming reactions are achieved in the same pot through two distinct palladium-based catalytic systems: a first non-enantioselective one delivering configurationally labile secondary benzylzinc species from an achiral precursor, and a second enantioconvergent one that operates a highly efficient dynamic kinetic resolution of the racemic intermediates. This strategy, new in the area of asymmetric synthesis through two consecutive electrophilic substitution reactions of geminated C(sp(3))-organodimetallics, provides useful methodology to access in a modular fashion acyclic alpha-disubstituted ketone products with very high enantiomeric purity.