Enantioselective Addition of Diethylzinc to Aldehydes

Significance

This work discloses the preparation of regioisomeric amino sulfonamide ligands which catalyze the addition of diethylzinc to various aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes. Both classes of ligands have the same chirality, solely the amino and sulfonamide groups are exchanged. This, however, leads to a complete switching of the stereochemistry, affording in both cases secondary alcohols in good yields and excellent enantioselectivities.