Catalytic Regio- and Enantioselective Alkylation of Conjugated Dienyl Amides

A method for catalytic asymmetric alkylation of conjugated dienyl amides has been developed and it allows efficient and high-yielding transformations of a wide range of polyconjugated amides into the corresponding chiral products. Smooth addition of organomagnesium reagents to relatively unreactive dienyl amides with excellent 1,6- and 1,4-selectivities, as well as enantioselectivites above 90%, is achieved owing to the complementary action of the Lewis acid and a chiral copper-based catalyst.