Enantioselective three-component aminomethylation of α-diazo ketones with alcohols and 1,3,5-triazines

Enantioselective α-aminomethylation of carbonyl compounds constitutes a powerful protocol for introducing aminomethyl groups to simple organic molecules. However, current strategies rely on nucleophile-based enantioselective activation with inherently activated substrates only, and enantioselective protocol based on the activation of in situ-generated unstable formaldimines remains elusive, probably owing to their unstable nature and the lack of steric environment for efficient stereocontrols. Here, based on a rhodium/chiral phosphoric acid cooperative catalysis, we achieved an enantioselective three-component reaction of α-diazo ketones with alcohols and 1,3,5-triazines. A dual hydrogen bonding between the chiral phosphoric acid catalyst and two distinct active intermediates was proposed to be crucial for the efficient electrophile-based enantiocontrol. A series of chiral β-amino-α-hydroxy ketones including those derived from simple aliphatic alcohols, allylic alcohol, propargyl alcohol, complicated natural alcohols and water could all be prepared in high efficiency and enantioselectivity. Strategies for enantioselective α-aminomethylation of carbonyl compounds rely on the chiral activation of stable ketones substrate. Here, the authors report a rhodium/chiral phosphoric acid cooperative catalysis for the three-component reaction of α-diazo ketones with alcohols and 1,3,5-triazines via imine chiral activation.