Asymmetric Nucleophilic Addition of Chiral β - Enamino Esters to Acrylonitrile

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0957-4166(00)86008-5

β - enamino esters derived from β - keto esters and (S)-1-phenylethylamine, react with acrylonitrile in the presence of a Lewis acid or under high pressure activation to give, after hydrolytic work up, α,α - disubstituted β-ketoesters 4 (EWG=CN) in enantiomeric excess close to 90percent.Key Words: Chiral β - enamino esters; optically active α,α-disubstituted β - keto esters; asymmetric Michael addition; Lewis acids; high pressure