Regio‐ and Stereoselective Conjugate Addition of Aldehydes to β‐Tosyl Enones under the Catalysis of a Binaphthyl‐Modified Chiral Amine

A simple axially chiral amine catalyst promoted the regio‐, diastereo‐, and enantioselective conjugate addition of aldehydes to β‐tosyl enones, which serve as ynone surrogates. The adducts were readily converted by treatment with L‐selectride into less accessible enones with a γ stereogenic center. Such compounds cannot be prepared through the amine‐catalyzed conjugate addition of aldehydes to ynones. The obtained enones underwent further conjugate addition of diorganozinc compounds in the presence of a copper catalyst.