Chiral dihydrobenzo[1,4]oxazines as catalysts for the asymmetric transfer-hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes

A new class of organocatalysts based on the structure of 2,3-dihydrobenzo[1,4]oxazine was prepared and applied in the enantioselective transfer-hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with Hantzsch ester as hydride donor. These catalysts proved to be particularly effective for the conjugate reduction of β,β-diaryl-substituted acrylaldehydes leading to saturated aldehydes bearing a stereogenic center with two different aryl groups with enantioselectivities of up to 91% ee.