Iridium-Catalyzed Regio- and Enantioselective Allylic Esterification of Secondary Allylic Alcohols with Carboxylic Acids

We report herein an iridium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic esterification from racemic secondary allylic alcohols by using free carboxylic acids as nucleophiles under mild conditions with broad functional group tolerance, exhibiting excellent regio- (b/l > 19:1) and enantioselectivities (up to > 99% ee). This method is amenable to the late-stage modification of amino acids, commercial pharmaceuticals, and formal asymmetric synthesis of (-)-diospongins A/B