Evidence of the electronic factor for the highly enantioselective catalytic efficiency of Cinchona-derived phase-transfer catalysts.

[structure: see text] The Cinchona alkaloid-derived quaternary ammonium salts containing 2'-N-oxypyridine and 2'-cyanobenzene moieties were prepared and evaluated as phase-transfer catalysts in the enantioselective alkylation of glycine imine ester 1. The N-oxypyridine and cyanobenzene moieties might play an important role to form a rigid conformation by coordinating with H(2)O via hydrogen bonding leading to high enantioselectivity (97 approximately >99% ee), which provides evidence of an electronic factor for the high enantioselective catalytic efficiency in phase-transfer alkylation.