Broadly effective enantioselective Diels-Alder reactions of 1-amino-substituted-1,3-butadienes

[reaction: see text] A broad range of substituted 1-amino-1,3-butadienes undergo enantioselective Diels-Alder reactions with methacrolein in the presence of 5 mol % of Cr(III)-salen complex 1. The reactions are carried out conveniently, at room temperature, and they afford the cycloadducts in high yields and excellent ee's.