Asymmetrie retro- and transfer-aldol reactions catalyzed by a simple chiral primary amine

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/chem.201000181

(Chemical Figure Presented) One stone four birds: A single chiral primary amine was found to catalyze unprecedented asymmetric retro-aldol and transfer-aldol reactions, leading to four different chiral aldol adducts from one common chiral source with up to 99:1 d.r. and 99% ee (see scheme).