Highly enantioselective phenyl transfer to aryl aldehydes catalyzed by easily accessible chiral tertiary aminonaphthol.

A new chiral tertiary aminonaphthol ligand 3b served as a highly efficient ligand for the asymmetric catalytic phenyl transfer to aromatic aldehydes and a variety of chiral diarylmethanols was prepared in high ee values (ee up to 99%) and chemical yields. The straightforward syntheses of both 3b and its enantiomer provide an excellent opportunity for large-scale applications.

Highly efficient epoxidation of cyclic alkenes catalyzed by ruthenium complex.

The epoxidation of cyclic alkenes with molecular oxygen was efficiently completed in excellent epoxide yield using a novel ruthenium complex as catalyst under mild reaction conditions.

A convenient, one-step synthesis of optically active tertiary aminonaphthol and its applications in the highly enantioselective alkenylations of aldehydes.

Optically active tertiary aminonaphthol 1 was obtained by a new, convenient procedure and was found to catalyze the enantioselective alkenylation of various aldehydes with high ee values, which provides a practical method for the synthesis of chiral (E)- allyl alcohols.