Asymmetric alkyl-alkyl coupling between electron-deficient and unactivated alkenes to access α-chiral phosphines by Ni catalysis.

α-Chiral phosphorus compounds have broad applications as organic catalysts or ligands in organic chemistry and related areas. Herein, we disclose a Ni-catalyzed enantioselective cross-hydrodimerization of alkenyl phosphine sulfides with unactivated alkenes to access α-chiral phosphine sulfides, representing the first example of asymmetric hydrodimerization of electron-deficient alkenes with electron-rich alkenes. Key to success is the precise recognition between electron-deficient alkenes and electron-rich alkenes and streamlined alkyl-alkyl bond forming with the control of chemo-, regio-, and enantioselectivity. This strategy requires alkenes as sole precursors for asymmetric alkyl-alkyl cross-coupling, circumventing the use of stoichiometric amounts of alkyl electrophiles or alkyl nucleophiles as coupling partners. The mild conditions tolerate a wide range of functional groups, providing direct access to α-chiral phosphines through a carbon-carbon bond-forming process without prefunctionalized coupling precursors.