Catalytic Enantioselective Birch–Heck Sequence for the Synthesis of Tricyclic Structures with All-Carbon Quaternary Stereocenters

A new enantioselective desymmetrizing Mizoroki–Heck reaction is reported. The process affords high yields and enantioselectivities of tricyclic structures containing all-carbon quaternary stereocenters. The substrates for the reaction are efficiently synthesized from Birch reduction–alkylation of benzoic acid and benzoate esters