Synthesis and structure of an air-stable organoantimony complex and its use as a catalyst for direct diastereoselective Mannich reactions in water

An air-stable organoantimony complex with a 5,6,7,12-tetrahydrodibenzo[c,f][1,5]azastibocine framework was synthesized, characterized, and found to exhibit high catalytic efficiency towards one-pot Mannich reaction with high diastereoselectivity in water. The catalyst can be recycled 10 times without showing any appreciable loss of efficiency. This catalytic system affords a simple and efficient approach for the synthesis of β-amino ketones.