C2-Symmetric Chiral Bisoxazolines as Hydrogen-Bond-Acceptor Catalysts in Enantioselective Aldol Reaction of β-Carbonyl Acids with Trifluoroacetaldehyde Hemiacetals

Org Lett. 2016 Dec 16;18(24):6364-6367. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.6b03256. Epub 2016 Nov 22.

Abstract

A simple C2-symmetric chiral bisoxazoline is demonstrated to use hydrogen bonding to catalyze an important family of aldol reactions of trifluoroacetaldehyde hemiacetals with various β-carbonyl acids. This reaction is highly enantioselective, delivering chiral nonracemic trifluoromethylated alcohols with excellent optical purity and good isolated yields. This concept of relaying chiral information via a chiral hydrogen-bond acceptor should be applicable to a vast number of organocatalytic processes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't