A Useful Modification of the Evans Magnesium Halide-Catalyzed anti-Aldol Reaction: Application to Enolizable Aldehydes.

A practical protocol for use of the magnesium halide-catalyzed anti-aldol reaction of an Evans N-acyloxazolidinone with enolizable aldehydes is reported. The yields of anti-aldol adducts for saturated or unsaturated and branched or unbranched aliphatic aldehydes are preparatively useful.