Cobalt-Catalyzed Enantioselective Intramolecular Hydroacylation of Ketones and Olefins

Cobalt–chiral diphoshine catalytic systems promote intramolecular hydroacylation reactions of 2-acylbenzaldehydes and 2-alkenylbenzaldehydes to afford phthalide and indanone derivatives, respectively, in moderate to good yields with high enantioselectivities. The ketone hydroacylation did not exhibit a significant H/D kinetic isotope effect (KIE) with respect to the aldehyde C–H bond, indicating that C–H activation would not be involved in the rate-limiting step.