Amine-Catalyzed Asymmetric Cross-Aldol Reactions Using Heterofunctionalized Acetaldehydes as Nucleophiles

Various heterofunctionalized acetaldehydes were successfully employed in an amine-catalyzed asymmetric cross-aldol reaction, affording a variety of synthetically useful 1,2-difunctionalized compounds such as 1,2-diols and 1,2-aminoalcohols. With this method, both syn- and anti-1,2-difunctionalized compounds were obtained from the same set of reactants by using the appropriate amine catalyst.