Chiral thioarylimidazolines 1,2 were prepared as a new class of SN-hyb
rid ligands. Asymmetric allylic substitution of 1,3-diphenyl-2-propeny
l pivalate 11 with dimethyl malonate in the presence of BSA-LiOAc has
been successfully carried out with a chiral catalyst of a thioimidazol
ine l-palladium complex in high enantioselectivities of up to 96% ee.