Enantioselective Organocatalytic Conjugate Reduction of β-Azole-Containing α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes

beta-Azole-containing alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes were successfully reduced under highly enantioselective organocatalytic transfer hydrogenation conditions. The products were obtained in good yields and up to 94% optical purity. This simple process was successfully applied to the synthesis of the C7-C14 fragment of ulapualide A, a natural product which exhibits promising antitumor activity.