N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Chemoselective Cross-Aza-Benzoin Reaction of Enals with Isatin-Derived Ketimines: Access to Chiral Quaternary Aminooxindoles
A chemo- and enantioselective cross-aza-benzoin reaction between enals and isatin-derived ketimines is disclosed. The high chemoselectivity (of the acyl anion reaction over enal 伪- and 尾-carbon reactions) is enabled by the electronic and steric properties of the N-heterocyclic carbene organocatalyst.