Palladium Pincer-Complex Catalyzed Allylation of Tosylimines by Potassium Trifluoro(allyl)borates

Palladium pincer complex 1 catalyzes the reaction of trifluoro(allyl)borate 2 with a wide range of tosylimines (3) under mild and neutral reaction conditions. This catalytic transformation affords homoallylic amines (4) in good to excellent yield. Mechanistic studies suggest that a transmetalation reaction between complex 1 and the borate salt 2 provides an eta(1)-allylpalladium complex, which subsequently reacts with the imine substrate. [Reaction: see text]