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(E)-2-Trialkylsilyloxy-1,3-dienes and the corresponding 2-acetoxy derivatives participate in cobalt-catalyzed heterodimerization reactions with ethylene, giving mostly 4,1-hydrovinylation products with addition of the vinyl group to C₄ and H at C₁ of the diene. The reaction, which gives highly functionalized, protected enolates, is best carried out at room temperature with the diene dissolved in methylene chloride and ethylene delivered from a balloon in the presence of a catalyst generated in situ by the reaction of (P∼P)CoCl₂ with methylaluminoxane (MAO). Commercially available chiral ligands, 2,3-O-isopropylidene-2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-bis-(diphenylphosphino)butane (DIOP) and 2,4-bis-diphenylphosphinopentane (BDPP) in combination with the earth-abundant metal cobalt, gave excellent regio- and enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) for the chiral enolate surrogates from both silyloxy and acetoxydienes …