Catalytic asymmetric umpolung reactions of imines

• Published in: Nature (London) Vol. 523; no. 7561; pp. 445 - 450
• Main Authors: Wu, Yongwei, Hu, Lin, Li, Zhe, Deng, Li
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 23.07.2015; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 140/131; 140/58; 639/638/403; 639/638/77/883; Acrolein - chemistry; Air; Amines; Amino Alcohols - chemical synthesis; Amino Alcohols - chemistry; Anions; Asymmetry; Carbon; Carbon - chemistry; Catalysis; Chemical compounds; Chemical research; Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic - methods; Electrons; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humidity; Imines - chemistry; letter; multidisciplinary; Nitrogen - chemistry; Organic chemistry; Schiff bases; Science

Imines conventionally act as electrophiles towards carbon nucleophiles in the synthesis of amines, but the range of amines could be much extended if the carbon atom of the imine could be rendered electron-rich to allow it to act as a nucleophile toward a carbon electrophile; such a reaction can be p...