Regio- and diastereoselective reactions of chiral secondary alkylcopper reagents with propargylic phosphates: preparation of chiral allenes

The diastereoselective S(N)2′-substitution of secondary alkylcopper reagents with propargylic phosphates enables the preparation of stereodefined alkylallenes. By using enantiomerically enriched alkylcopper reagents and enantioenriched propargylic phosphates as electrophiles anti-S(N)2′-substitutions were performend leading to α-chiral allenes in good yields with excellent regioselectivity and retention of configuration. DFT-calculations were performed to rationalize the structure of these alkylcopper reagents in various solvents, emphasizing their configurational stability in THF.