Design of highly enantioselective organocatalysts based on molecular recognition.

[reaction: see text] Various organocatalysts have been designed based on molecular recognition to catalyze the asymmetric direct aldol reaction of ketones with aryl and alkyl alpha-keto acids, affording beta-hydroxyl carboxylic acids with a tertiary stereogenic center with excellent enantioselectivities of up to 98% ee. A linear effect was observed for the reaction, demonstrating a single molecule of the catalyst involved in the catalysis.