Primary amine, thiourea-based dual catalysis motif for synthesis of stereogenic, all-carbon quaternary center-containing cycloalkanones.

The enantioselective synthesis of α,α-disubstituted cycloalkanones has been developed using a primary amine, thiourea-based dual catalysis pathway. A range of electrophiles and ring sizes are tolerated under the reaction conditions. A possible catalytic cycle is presented to explain the reactivity.