Isoquinoline-based chiral monodentate N-heterocyclic carbenes

C 1-symmetric isoquinoline-based chiral diaminocarbene ligands (MIQ) have been developed to block three quadrants of the metal coordination sphere, complementing C2-symmetric biisoquinoline-based ligands (BIQ). MIQ-Cu complexes catalyzed conjugate borylation of various α,β-unsaturated amides in good yields (82–99%) and enantioselectivities (75–87% ee).