Asymmetric organocatalytic oxy-Michael addition of alcohols to α,β-unsaturated aldehydes

A 1,4-addition of alcohols to α,β-unsaturated aldehydes was found to be efficiently promoted by biphenyldiamine-based catalyst 3 without formation of the acetals. An asymmetric variant of this reaction has also been performed by designing a novel axially chiral organocatalyst (R)-10c.

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