Probing electronic and regioisomeric control in an asymmetric Henry reaction catalyzed by camphor-imidazoline ligands

Starting from (R)-camphordiamine, 13 new camphor-annulated imidazoline ligands are synthesized in good yields as two regioisomeric series. Yields of up to 94% and good enantioselectivities up to 67% are achieved for the copper(II)-catalyzed Henry reaction giving the product stereoselectively according to the regioisomer used.