Aziridine ring-containing chiral ligands as highly efficient catalysts in asymmetric synthesis

Enantiomerically pure bidentate heteroorganic ligands built on an achiral skeleton containing hydroxyl and aziridine moieties as nucleophilic centers, capable of binding various organometallic reagents, have proven to be highly efficient catalysts in the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc and phenylethynylzinc to aryl and alkyl aldehydes to give the desired chiral products in high chemical yields (up to 90%) and with ees of up to 95%. The influence of the stereogenic center located in the carbon atom in the aziridine moiety on the stereochemical course of the reaction is reported.