Diastereoselective Intermolecular Cobalt-Catalyzed Reductive Aldol Reactions of α,β-Unsaturated Amides with Ketones

Abstract

Under cobalt catalysis, diethylzinc mediates the conjugate reduction of alpha,beta-unsaturated amides to produce ethylzinc enolates that react with ketones in situ to produce tertiary alcohol-containing aldol products with up to >19:1 diastereoselectivity.