Highly Active Chiral Phosphoramide−Zn(II) Complexes as Conjugate Acid−Base Catalysts for Enantioselective Organozinc Addition to Ketones

Abstract

A highly efficient enantioselective organozinc (R2Zn) addition to ketones catalyzed by chiral phosphoramide-Zn(II) complexes (1-10 mol %) has been developed. These complexes serve as conjugate Lewis acid-Lewis base catalysts. Chiral phosphoramides are derived from an inexpensive natural amino acid (i.e., L-valine). From a variety of nonactivated aromatic and aliphatic ketones, the corresponding optically active tertiary alcohols were obtained in high yields with high enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee) under the mild reaction conditions.