Enantioselective organocatalytic substitution of α-cyanoacetates on imidoyl chlorides – synthesis of optically active ketimines

Abstract

The enantioselective substitution of alpha-cyanoacetates on imidoyl chlorides under phase-transfer catalytic conditions is presented; a simple quinidine-derived phase-transfer catalyst gives access to the products, highly substituted ketimines, in generally good yields and up to 90% ee.