Tandem asymmetric Michael reaction-intramolecular Michael addition. An easy entry to chiral fluorinated 1,4-dihydropyridines.

A novel one-pot tandem asymmetric Hantzsch-type process has been employed to generate fluorinated 1,4-dihydropyridines (1,4-DHPs) as single diastereoisomers. It involves the condensation of (R)-(+)-allyl p-tolyl sulfoxide, fluorinated nitriles, and alkyl propiolates, giving access to a new family of enantiomerically pure fluorine-containing 1,4-DHPs.