Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Asymmetric Tandem Cyclization of 2-Aminoaryl Alkynones: An Approach to Chiral 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydro-beta-carbolines

A Pd(OAc)(2)-catalyzed asymmetric cyclization of 2-aminoaryl alkynones involving an intramolecular trans-aminopalladation of alkyne and 1,2-addition to the carbonyl group tandem processes was developed. This strategy represents the first example using palladium as the catalyst and 2-alkynylaniline derivatives as the starting material to allow facile access to chiral 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carbolines in high yields and excellent enantioselectivities.