Cu(II)-L-prolinamide: First catalytic application of metal-amidoamine complex in enantioselective Henry reaction

Abstract

For asymmetric Henry reaction, catalysis by chiral metal complexes is often prefered over aminocatalysis. Despite using many complicated L-proline derived ligands, the use of L-prolinamides as ligand in metal catalyzed Henry reaction is conspicuously absent. Here, we report a highly enantioselective Henry reaction catalyzed by N′-phenyl-N-benzyl L-prolinamide and Cu(OAc)2.H2O at room temperature.