Ti-Catalyzed Enantioselective Arylation of Aldehydes by Triarylaluminum-THF

Significance

Enantioselective arylation of aldehydes is a straightforward and convenient method for the preparation of chiral benzylic alcohols, which are valuable precursors in the synthesis of bioactive compounds. The use of organoaluminum reagents offers the advantages of low toxicity organometallics and stability for storage. This work describes a simple protocol for the enantio­selective addition of triarylaluminum compounds to a variety of aldehydes, using a readily available chiral catalyst. Very good yields of products with excellent enantioselectivities were obtained within several minutes at 0 °C.