Aluminum-catalyzed asymmetric addition of TMSCN to aromatic and aliphatic ketones promoted by an easily accessible and recyclable peptide ligand.

Abstract

Easily prepared peptide-based ligands efficiently promote the Al-catalyzed enantioselective addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide (TMSCN) to aromatic, aliphatic, cyclic, and acyclic ketones (see scheme for an example). The chiral ligands can be readily recovered and reused without loss of activity or selectivity.