Chiral compounds amino alcohol-derived bases

Hayashi et al.147 reported another highly enantioselective cyanohydrination catalyzed by compound 138. In this reaction, a Schilf base derived from fl-amino alcohol and a substituted salicylic aldehyde were used as the chiral ligand, and the asymmetric addition of trimethylsilylcyanide to aldehyde gave the corresponding cyanohydrin with up to 91% ee (Scheme 2-56). 

Silyl cyanides react enantioselectively with such electrophiles as aldehydes, ketones, imines, activated azines, or,/ unsaturated carbonyl compounds, epoxides, and aziridines in the presence of chiral Lewis acid catalysts to give functionalized nitriles, versatile synthetic intermediates for hydroxy carboxylic acids, amino acids, and amino alcohols (Tables 3-6, 3-7, 3-8, and 3-9, Figures 3-6, 3-7, and 3-8, and Scheme 3-154). ° Soft Lewis acid catalytst, the reaction of epoxides with trimethylsilyl cyanide often leads to isonitriles, which are derived from silylisonitrile spiecies (Schemes 3-155 and 3-156). Soft Lewis base such as phosphine oxide also catalyzes the reaction and cyanohydrin silyl ethers of high ee s are isolated. 

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