Catalytic enantioselective addition of aromatic amines to enones: synthesis of optically active beta-amino acid derivatives

A catalytic enantioselective addition of aromatic amines to enones has been developed; the potential of the reaction is shown for aromatic amines reacting with alkyl oxazolidinones in good yield and with moderate to excellent enantiomeric excess, and the transformation of the products to beta -amino acid amides.