Chirality transfer. A stereospecific palladium salt catalyzed phenylation of chiral butenols.

Abstract (R)-(|) and (S)-(+)-3-phenyl butanones have been obtained by a 20% stereospecific palladium catalyzed β-phenylation of the corresponding chiral butenols, the catalyst acting preferentially, through an alkoxide complex, by one face of the alcohol double bond, e.g. the si face of (R)-(|)3-butene-2-ol(I).