6.2 CADA Reactions Involving Palladium and Iridium Catalysis

Abstract Catalytic asymmetric dearomatization (CADA) reactions have become a powerful tool for synthesizing enantioenriched spirocyclic and fused polycyclic compounds from simple planar aromatic precursors. These reactions have significantly expanded the synthetic toolbox, enabling the efficient construction of diverse chiral scaffolds and facilitating access to a wide range of biologically active molecules and natural products. This review focuses on two prominent types of CADA reactions: asymmetric allylic dearomatization and asymmetric dearomatization via cross-coupling, catalyzed by palladium or iridium complexes. The discussion is organized based on the type of transition-metal catalyst employed, offering insights into the mechanistic features and synthetic applications of these transformations.