Organocatalytic Regio- and Enantioselective C1-Alkylation of Indolizines with δ-Aryl-δ-cyano-disubstituted para-Quinone Methides

Nitriles bearing all-carbon quaternary stereocenters are frequently observed in a wide range of biologically active molecules. Herein, we present asymmetric regio- and enantioselective C1-alkylation of indolizines with δ-aryl-δ-cyano-disubstituted para-quinones enabled by the CPA catalyst system, leading to construction of all-carbon quaternary centers bearing CN groups. The approach efficiently afforded various chiral cyano-substituted triarylmethanes bearing all-carbon quaternary centers in up to 85% yield and 96% ee.