An Ionic Network as Catalyst for Asymmetric Benzylation

Significance

The authors report the synthesis of binuclear cinchonidinium-based catalysts, such as 1, and their subsequent incorporation into ionic networks 2. These chiral ionic polymers were obtained by counter-anion exchange of the monomeric binuclear species with 2,6-naphthalene-­disulfonates. The assembled high molecular weight catalysts, with an impressively high average molecular weight, proved to be very efficient for the asymmetric benzylation of N-diphenylmethyl-ideneglycine tert-butyl ester.