Trio Catalysis Merging Enamine,Brønsted Acid,and Metal Lewis Acid Catalysis: Asymmetric Three‐Component Aza‐Diels–Alder Reaction of Substituted Cinnamaldehydes,Cyclic Ketones,and Arylamines

A trio catalyst system, composed of arylamine, BINOL‐derived phosphoric acid, and Y(OTf)₃, enables the combination of enamine catalysis with both hard metal Lewis acid catalysis and Brønsted acid catalysis for the first time. Using this catalyst system, a three‐component aza‐Diels–Alder reaction of substituted cinnamaldehyde, cyclic ketone, and arylamine is carried out with high chemo‐ and enantioselectivity, affording a series of optically active 1,4‐dihydropyridine (DHP) derivatives are obtained in 91–99 % ee and 59–84 % yield. DHPs bearing a chiral quaternary carbon center are also obtained with good enantioselectivity and moderate yield (three examples). Preliminary mechanistic investigations have also been conducted.