3,3′-Functionalized octahydro-BINOL: a facile synthesis and its high enantioselectivity in the alkyne addition to aldehydes

A facile synthesis of an enantiomerically pure 3,3′-bismorpholinylmethyl H8-BINOL ligand has been developed. This compound in combination with Et2Zn and Ti(OiPr)4 is found to catalyze the highly enantioselective reaction of phenylacetylene with aromatic aldehydes. The enantioselectivity of this catalytic process for the reactions of ortho-substituted benzaldehydes is significantly higher than that based on H8-BINOL.