The first example of a catalytic asymmetric aldol-Tishchenko reaction of aldehydes and aliphatic ketones

A number of combinations of Lewis acids and chiral ligands has been screened for the enantioselective direct tandem aldol condensation--Evans-Tishchenko reduction of aldehydes and ketones. Chiral ytterbium complexes were found to catalyze the condensation of aromatic aldehydes with 3-pentanone (and other ketones) giving rise to the anti-1,3-diol monoesters in good yield, and with high diastereocontrol and moderate levels of enantioselectivity. Three adjacent stereogenic centers are created in one reaction sequence in acyclic systems.