Enantioselective Lewis Acid Catalyzed ortho Photocycloaddition of Olefins to Phenanthrene‐9‐carboxaldehydes

Visible‐light irradiation (λ=457 nm) enabled the enantioselective ortho photocycloaddition of olefins to phenanthrene‐9‐carboxaldehydes (15 examples, 46–93 % yield, 82–98 % ee). A chiral oxazaborolidine Lewis acid (20 mol %) was employed as the catalyst. It operates by coordination to the aldehyde inducing a bathochromic absorption shift beyond the nπ* absorption of the uncomplexed aldehyde. At long wavelengths the Lewis acid complex is exclusively excited; within the complex, one enantiotopic face of the aromatic aldehyde is efficiently shielded. Lewis acid coordination also alters the type selectivity and the simple diastereoselectivity of the photocycloaddition.