Ferrocene phosphane–carbene ligands in Cu-catalyzed enantioselective 1,4-additions of Grignard reagents to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

Chiral ferrocene phosphane–carbenes are good ligands for the copper-catalyzed 1,4-addition of Grignard reagents to various Michael acceptors. The products were obtained in high enantiomeric purity (up to e.r. = 95:5) and excellent regioselectivity (r.r. = 99:1). These ligands are also useful for domino conjugate addition followed by enolate trapping with imine and aldehyde.