(3+2) Annulation of 4‐Acetoxy Allenoate with Aldimine Enabled by AgF‐Assisted P(III)/P(V) Catalysis

Abstract A phosphine‐catalyzed (3+2) annulation of 4‐acetoxy allenoate and aldimine with the assistance of AgF is described. The success of this reaction hinges on the metathesis between the enolate‐phosphonium zwitterion and AgF, leading to a key intermediate comprising of silver enolate and a fluorophosphorane P(V)‐moiety. The former is able to undergo a Mannich reaction with aldimine, whereas the latter initiates a cascade sequence of AcO‐elimination/aza‐addition, thus furnishing the P(III)/P(V) catalysis. By taking advantage of the silver enolate, a preliminary attempt at an asymmetric variant was conducted with the combination of an achiral phosphine catalyst and a chiral bis(oxazolinyl)pyridine ligand (PyBox), giving moderate enantioselectivity.