Organocatalytic and highly stereoselective direct vinylogous Mannich reaction.

The first direct asymmetric vinylogous Mannich (AVM) reaction of alpha,alpha-dicyanoolefins and N-Boc aldimines was described promoted by a simple chiral bifunctional thiourea-tertairy amine organocatalyst. The reaction was highly efficient (S/C up to 1000) and regio-, stereoselective (generally >99% de, 96 to >99.5% ee) at room temperature for a broad array of substrates. Enantiomerically pure delta-amino acid could be smoothly prepared from the adduct.