Practical and highly enantioselective alkylation of aldehydes catalyzed by a titanium complex of 3-aryl H8-BINOL

A titanium complex derived from 3-(3,5-diphenylphenyl)-H-8-BINOL exhibits high catalytic activity and enantioselectivity in the alkylation of aldehydes. Enantioselectivities comparable to or higher than 20 mol % of the parent H-8-BINOL are obtained with 2 mol %-catalyst loadings. The reaction can be carried out without rigorous exclusion of water. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.