Enantioselective additions of diethylzinc and diphenylzinc to aldehydes using 2-dialkyl-aminomethyl-2'-hydroxy- 1,1'-binaphthyls.

[reaction: see text] A set of 2-dialkylaminomethyl-2'-hydroxy-1,1'-binaphthyls was prepared and used in the catalytic asymmetric additions of diethylzinc and diphenylzinc to various types of aldehydes. These binaphthyl-based axially chiral amino alcohols show high enantioselectivity in the addition of organozincs to aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes.