Chiral NHC Ligands Bearing a Pyridine Moiety in Copper-Catalyzed 1,2-Addition of Dialkylzinc Reagents to β-Aryl-α,β-unsaturated N-Tosylaldimines

Asymmetric 1,2-addition of dialkylzinc reagents to alpha,beta-unsaturated N-tosylaldimines was catalyzed by copper salt in the presence of chiral imidazolium salts having a pyridine ring, which were derived from amino acid, to afford the corresponding chiral allylic amines with up to 91% ee in reasonably high yields. The chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand played an important role in controlling chemoselectivity.