Catalytic enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes using aziridine based chiral ligands

The readily available ferrocenyl substituted aziridinylmethanol 1 (FAM-1) was used as a chiral catalyst in the diethylzinc addition reaction to aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes to give secondary alcohols in high yields and up to 99% enantiomeric excess at room temperature. The catalyst can be recovered and used without losing its activity.