Chemodivergent, Regio‐ and Enantioselective Cycloaddition Reactions between 1,3‐Dienes and Alkynes

Alkynes and 1,3‐dienes are among the most readily available precursors for organic synthesis. We report two distinctly different, catalyst‐dependent, modes of regio‐ and enantioselective cycloaddition reactions between these classes of compounds providing rapid access to highly functionalized 1,4‐cyclohexadienes or cyclobutenes from the same precursors. Complexes of an earth abundant metal, cobalt, with several commercially available chiral bisphosphine ligands with narrow bite angles catalyze [4+2]‐cycloadditions between a 1,3‐diene and an alkyne giving a cyclohexa‐1,4‐diene in excellent chemo‐, regio‐ and enantioselectivities. In sharp contrast, complex of a finely tuned phosphino‐oxazoline ligand promotes unique [2+2]‐cycloaddition between the alkyne and the terminal double bond of the diene giving a highly functionalized cyclobutene in excellent regio‐ and enantioselectivities.