Indolizy Carbene Ligand. Evaluation of Electronic Properties and Applications in Asymmetric Gold(I) Catalysis

We report herein a new family of carbene ligands based on an indolizine-ylidene (Indolizy) moiety. The corresponding gold(I) complexes are easily obtained from the gold(I)-promoted cyclization allenylpyridine precursors. Evaluation electronic properties by experimental methods and also DFT calculations confirms strong σ-donating π-accepting these ligands. Cationization generates catalytic species that trigger diverse reactions (poly)unsaturated When armed with methylene phosphine oxide moiety stereogenic center adjacent to nitrogen atom, bifunctional give rise highly enantioselective heterocyclizations. brought some rationalization highlighted critical roles played group tosylate anion in asymmetric γ-allenols.