Organocatalytic asymmetric multicomponent reactions of aromatic aldehydes and anilines with β-ketoesters: facile and atom-economical access to chiral tetrahydropyridines

The first catalytic asymmetric pseudo five-component (AB(2)C(2) type) reaction is reported. A spirocyclic chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed one-pot multicomponent reaction of aromatic aldehydes, anilines and beta-ketoesters and afforded highly functionalized enantioenriched tetrahydropyridines with high levels of stereocontrol.