Enantioselective Cyanosilylation of Aldehydes Catalyzed by a Multistereogenic Salen—Mn(III) Complex with a Rotatable Benzylic Group as a Helping Hand.

A multistereogenic salen–Mn(III) complex bearing an aromatic pocket and two benzylic groups as helping hands was found to be efficient in the catalysis of asymmetric cyanosilylation. The salen–Mn catalyst partially mimics the functions of biocatalysts by reasonably utilizing the steric and electronic properties of the catalytic center to interact with the substrate.