Mechanistic investigations of a bifunctional squaramide organocatalyst in asymmetric Michael reaction and observation of stereoselective retro-Michael reaction

Abstract

The mechanism of cinchona–squaramide organocatalytic Michael addition was studied using<italic>in situ</italic>IR and NMR experiments. As a result, not only kinetic parameters were determined but a stereoselective retro-Michael reaction was also observed.