Asymmetric Pd-Catalyzed Alkene Carboamination Reactions for the Synthesis of 2-Aminoindane Derivatives

A new type of Pd-catalyzed alkene carboamination reaction that provides direct access to enantioenriched 2-aminoindanes from 2-allylphenyltriflate derivatives and aliphatic amines is described. A catalyst generated in situ from Pd(OAc)2 and (S)-tert-butylPHOX provides the functionalized carbocycles in good yield with up to >99:1 er. The transformations occur via a key anti-aminopalladation that involves intermolecular attack of an amine nucleophile on an arylpalladium alkene complex.