Kinetic and mechanistic studies of proline-mediated direct intermolecular aldol reactions

Reaction progress kinetic analysis of the proline-mediated intermolecular aldol reaction shows that the rate depends on the concentrations of both the donor ketone1 and the electrophilic aldehyde 2, implying that enamine formation cannot be rate-determining. The observed kinetics and deuterium isotope effects are consistent with formation of the product iminium species as the rate-determining step.

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