Highly efficient and reusable dendritic catalysts derived from N-prolylsulfonamide for the asymmetric direct aldol reaction in water.

The direct aldol reactions catalyzed by chiral dendritic catalysts derived from N-prolylsulfonamide gave the corresponding products in high isolated yields (up to 99%) with excellent anti diastereoselectivities (up to >99:1) and enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee) in water. In addition, catalyst 1e may be recovered by precipitation and filtration and reused for at least five times without loss of catalytic activity.