Asymmetric semipinacol rearrangement of 2,3-allenols with N-bromo-1,8-naphthalimide

A method using quinidine and optically active binol-derived phosphoric acid as a cocatalyst to catalyze the asymmetric semipinacol rearrangement of 2,3-allenols forming optically active 3-bromo-3-enals that contain an all-carbon quaternary stereocenter has been developed. After some further treatments, the products with practical enantiomeric purity could be prepared.