Enantioselective organocatalytic aza-ene-type domino reaction leading to 1,4-dihydropyridines.

A new general methodology was developed to access highly enantiomerically enriched 1,4-dihydropyridines (DHPs) 3 via an organocatalytic asymmetric aza-ene-type cascade reaction, cocatalyzed by (S)-diarylprolinol-TMS ether V and benzoic acid (BA). Both aliphatic and aryl enals 1 reacted smoothly with enaminones and β-enamino esters 2, affording highly functionalized 1,4-DHPs 3 in high enantioselectivities and good yields.