A Palladium Pincer Complex for Additional Reactions of Imine Derivatives

[Bz-Phebim]Pd-Br (1) is a palladium pincer complex, the palladium center of which connects to benzene directly with coordination of two chiral imidazoles. 1 is used as a catalyst for enantioselective reactions of imine derivatives.¹⁾ For instance, enantioselective aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions²⁾ of acrylonitrile, and decarboxylative cyanomethylations³⁾ using cyanoacetic acid afford the related β-aminonitrile derivatives, respectively. These β-aminonitrile derivatives can be converted into β-amino acids or 1,3-diamines. Thus it is expected to use them as chiral building blocks.