Chiral amidomonophosphine-rhodium(I) catalyst for asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to cycloalkenones

The asymmetric 1,4-addition reaction of arylboronic acids with cycloalkenones was catalyzed by 1 mol% of an amidomonophosphine-rhodium(I) catalyst in a 10:1 mixture of dioxane and water at 100°C, affording 3-arylcycloalkanones in reasonably high enantioselectivity (up to 96% ee) and high yields (up to 99%). The reaction efficacy of phenylboronic acid with cyclohex-2-enone was significantly dependent on the initiation procedure when BINAP was used as a phosphine.