Asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reaction of nonactivated ketones catalyzed by allo-threonine-derived oxazaborolidinone.

Asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reaction of nonactivated ketones is realized for the first time by using an oxazaborolidinone catalyst derived from O-benzoyl-N-tosyl-allo-threonine. By employing a dimethylsilyl ketene S,O-acetal as a nucleophile, a variety of acetophenone derivatives afford the corresponding tertiary beta-hydroxy carbonyl compounds with high enantioselectivity up to 98% ee.