Organocatalyzed direct aldol condensation using l-proline and BINAM-prolinamides: regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective controlled synthesis of 1,2-diols

Recoverable BINAM-prolinamide derivatives, as well as l-proline, give results complementary to antibodies when used as organocatalysts for aldol reactions between aldehydes and α-alkoxyacetones driving regioselectively to anti/syn-1,2-diols. The formation of the iso-regioisomer is suppressed using α-hydroxyacetone in DMSO at rt, achieving the corresponding anti-1,2-diol with ee's up to 85%. For α-alkoxyacetones (methoxy, benzyloxy, and tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy), the highest regio- and diastereoselectivity is achieved using α-methoxyacetone in DMF at 0 °C; the enantiomeric excess for the anti-1,2-isomer being up to 98%.