Highly diastereoselective pinacol coupling of aldehydes catalyzed by titanium-schiff base complexes

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(99)00100-8

A new effective methodology for a highly diastereoselective pinacol coupling of aldehydes is described. The method employes 3 mol % of a complex prepared in situ from TiCl₄(THF)₂ and a Schiff base in acetonitrile. The catalytic cycle is realized with Me₃SiCl and Mn as reducing agent. The dependence of the diastereoselectivity on the Schiff base used is reported.