Asymmetric O–H insertion reaction of carbenoids catalyzed by chiral bicyclo bisoxazoline copper(I) and (II) complexes

Abstract Chiral copper(I) and (II)-bicyclobisoxazoline complexes were found to catalyze the insertion of α-diazocarbonyl compounds into O–H bonds of alcohols. The insertion reactions of various α-diazopropionates proceeded with moderate yields (40–90%) and high enantioselectivities (up to 92% and 94% with copper(I) and copper(II)-catalysts, respectively). A predominant effect on the enantiocontrol of the reaction was observed when copper(I) and (II)-catalysts were associated with NaBARF and molecular sieves (4 A).