Enantioselective Mukaiyama Aldol Reaction Promoted by Chiral Lanthanide Complexes

5 Enantioselective Mukaiyama Aldol Reaction Promoted by Chiral Lanthanide Complexes 

Mukaiyama aldol reactions are useful means of constructing complex molecules for the total synthesis of natural products. Although catalytic asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reactions have been achieved by use of a variety of chiral Lewis acids [42], no report of the use of chiral lanthanide catalysts was available until recently, despite the potency of these catalysts. Shibasaki and co-workers reported the first examples of chiral induction with chiral lanthanide complexes (Sch. 7) [43]. Catalysts prepared from lanthanide triflates and a chiral sulfonamide ligand afforded the corresponding aldol products in moderate enantiomeric excess (up to 49% ee). 

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