Catalytic asymmetric reductive Michael cyclization.
A highly efficient and chemo-, regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective organocatalytic tandem conjugate reduction-Michael cyclization of enal enones has been developed. Accordingly, treating the enal enone with a Hantzsch dihydropyridine in the presence of a catalytic amount of an imidazolidinone organocatalyst provides cyclic keto aldehydes in high yields and enantiomeric excesses. The reaction works well with aliphatic and aromatic substrates in the synthesis of five- and six-membered carbacyclic derivatives.
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