Chiral thiourea-phosphine organocatalysts in the asymmetric Aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction

A new kind of bifunctional (thio)ureapbosphine catalyst was synthesized and applied to the aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of N-sulfonated imines with methyl vinyl ketone, phenyl vinyl ketone, ethyl vinyl ketone or acrolein. Moderate to excellent ee and yields of the products were obtained under mild reaction conditions.