title: The origin of regio- and enantioselectivity in the Rh/chiral 1,4-diene-catalyzed addition of phenylboronic acid to enones: insights from DFT.
abstract: A density functional theory study of the addition of phenylboronic acid to cyclohexenone catalyzed by chiral 1,4-diene-Rh(I) catalyst reveals that 1,4-addition is thermodynamically preferred. The enthalpy-driven enantioselection occurs during the carborhodation step and not the enone binding step, as previously proposed. The chiral ligand selectively destabilizes the disfavored transition state by making it "more early".
authors: Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR, 3 Research Link, Singapore117602. kantcheveab@imre.a-star.edu.sg
authors: Eric Assen B
authors: EA
authors: Kantchev