Aluminum-Catalyzed Asymmetric Strecker Reaction

Significance

The authors report an application of their chiral aluminum catalyst in the Strecker reaction. This transformation has been extensively examined in terms of asymmetric induction (see ­Review below). The authors contribute to the field by ­applying a more benign cyanide source and by demonstrating an efficient catalytic system capable of asymmetric addition to both aldimines and ketimines.

Review: H. Gröger Chem. Rev. 2003, 103, 2795-2827.