L-Selectride-Mediated Highly Diastereoselective Asymmetric Reductive Aldol Reaction: Access to an Important Subunit for Bioactive Molecules

L-Selectride reduction of a chiral or achiral enone followed by reaction of the resulting enolate with optically active α-alkoxy aldehydes proceeded with excellent diastereoselectivity. The resulting α,α-dimethyl-β-hydroxy ketones are inherent to a variety of biologically active natural products.