Catalytic enantioselective Michael reaction of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds via formation of chiral palladium enolate

An efficient catalytic enantioselective Michael reaction has been developed using chiral palladium complexes. Various substrates including beta-keto esters and 1,3-diketones reacted with alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds to give the corresponding Michael adducts in good yield with up to 99% ee, thereby affording chiral quaternary carbon centers. In these reactions, chiral palladium enolates were generated as key intermediates, which acted cooperatively with a strong protic acid to activate the Michael acceptors for promotion of the C-C bond-forming reaction.