A Cooperative Participation of the Amido Group in the Organocatalytic Construction of All-Carbon Quaternary Stereocenters by Michael Addition with β-Ketoamides

The secondary amido group of a-substituted beta-ketoamides plays a crucial role in the control of the reactivity and spatial arrangement (selectivity) in the organocatalyzed Michael addition to unsaturated carbonyls. This results in an unprecedented activation mode of substrates through H-bonding interactions allowing the construction of enantiomerically enriched functionalized all-carbon quaternary centers and spiroaminals of high synthetic potential.