Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Addition of Arylboronic Acids to β-Phthaliminoacrylate Esters Toward the Synthesis of β-Amino Acids.

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to β-phthaliminoacrylate esters took place efficiently to give high yields of β-aryl-β-amino acid esters with 96−99% enantioselectivity, which was realized by use of a hydroxorhodium/chiral diene complex.