Proline organocatalysis as a new tool for the asymmetric synthesis of ulosonic acid precursors

PEP and aldolase mimicry is the key for a direct organocatalytic entry to precursors of ulosonic acids, biomolecules of enormous importance in biology, chemistry and medicine; in the key aldol reaction the dimethylacetal of pyruvic aldehyde is used as phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) equivalent and the amino acid proline functions as an organocatalyst, imitating the enzyme.