A highly enantioselective catalytic Strecker reaction of cyclic (Z)-aldimines

A range of 3H-indoles and 2H-benzo[b][1,4]thiazines smoothly undergo asymmetric Strecker reaction with ethyl cyanoformate in the presence of a Cinchona alkaloid-based thiourea catalyst at 10 degrees C to give structurally diverse nitrogen-containing heterocycles in good to excellent yields and with excellent ee.