Asymmetric synthesis of (triaryl)methylamines by rhodium-catalyzed addition of arylboroxines to cyclic N-sulfonyl ketimines.

Asymmetric addition of arylboroxines to cyclic N-sulfonyl ketimines proceeded in the presence of a rhodium catalyst coordinated with a chiral diene ligand to give high yields of benzosultams, where a triaryl-substituted stereogenic carbon center was created with high enantioselectivity (93-99% ee). The chiral benzosultams were transformed into the chiral (triaryl)methylamines by breaking the cyclic structure.

Electronic tuning of chiral diene ligands in iridium-catalyzed asymmetric 1,6-addition of arylboroxines to δ-aryl-α,ß,γ,δ-unsaturated ketones.

Asymmetric addition of arylboroxines to δ-aryl-α,ß,γ,δ-unsaturated ketones proceeded in the presence of an iridium catalyst coordinated with a chiral diene ligand to give high yields of δ-diaryl ketones with very high enantioselectivity.

syn-Selective asymmetric cross-aldol reactions between aldehydes and glyoxylic acid derivatives catalyzed by an axially chiral amino sulfonamide.

syn-Selective asymmetric cross-aldol reactions of aldehydes with tert-butyl glyoxylate and glyoxamide were realized by the use of an axially chiral amino sulfonamide (S)-1. The cross-aldol products obtained are densely functionalized and readily converted to synthetically useful and important chiral building blocks such as γ-lactone and γ-lactam.