Storable and Air-Stable Zirconium Complex Catalyzed Highly Enantioselective Darzens Reaction of Diazoacetamide with Aldehydes.

An asymmetric Darzens reaction of aldehydes with diazo-N,N-dimethylacetamide (3) catalyzd by an air-stable and storable chiral zirconium Lewis acid catalyst, which is formed from 3,3′-diiodobinaphthol and tetrabutoxyzirconium, gives solely the cis-glycidic amides in high yields with excellent enantioselectivity (up to 97% yield, >99% ee).