C–N Axially Chiral Heterobiaryl Skeletons Construction via Cobalt-Catalyzed Atroposelective Annulation

Herein, the atroposelective construction of five-six heterobiaryl skeleton-based C–N chiral axis has been successfully accomplished via a Co-catalyzed C–H bond activation and annulation process, in which the isonitrile was employed as the C1 source and the 8-aminoquinoline moiety served as both directing group and integral part of C–N atropisomers, respectively. This conversion can be effectively carried out in an environmentally friendly oxygen atmosphere, generating the target axial heterobiaryls with excellent reactivities and enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee) in the absence of any additives, and the obtained 3-iminoisoindolinone products with a five membered N-heterocycle exhibit high atropostability. Additionally, the C–N axially chiral monophosphine backbones derived from this protocol possess the potential to become an alternative ligand platform.