Imines organocatalysts amides

A 3D-structure of the substrate-catalyst complex, which was supported by molecular modeling, revealed that the large group of the imine is directed away from the catalyst. This complex of the catalyst with the Z imine, and a solution structure of the organocatalyst, are shown in Figure 5.1 [12]. This explains the broad substrate tolerance which is independent of steric or electronic properties. A further important hypothesis is that addition of HCN occurs over the diaminocyclohexane framework in 10a this led to the prediction that a more bulky amino acid/amide portion should give a further improved catalyst. This conclusion led to (model-driven) optimization which resulted in the improved and highly enantioselective Strecker catalyst 10b (for preparative results with this catalyst see Scheme 5.8 and related text) [12]. 

In the same area, these authors have also investigated the efficiency of various chiral sterically congested phosphane-amide bifunctional organocatalysts with a binaphthyl scaffold in asymmetric aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions of A -sulfonated imines with activated olefins such as methyl and ethyl vinyl ketones." The corresponding aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts could be obtained in moderate to excellent yields (37-98%) and moderate to good... 

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