NMR studies of a ternary complex reagent of lithium ester enolate, chiral diether, and lithium diisopropylamide in an asymmetric Michael reaction

A ternary complex reagent of lithium ester enolate–chiral diether–lithium diisopropylamide was formed in an equimolar mixture of these reagents in toluene based on low-temperature NMR spectroscopy. The use of [6Li,15N]-lithium diisopropylamide as a lithiodeprotonation and complexing reagent produced two sets of doublet peaks in 6Li NMR of a 1:1:1 mixture of lithium enolate–chiral diether–lithium diisopropylamide, indicating the formation of a ternary complex reagent.