Chiral bifunctional thiourea-catalyzed enantioselective aldol reaction of trifluoroacetaldehyde hemiacetal with aromatic ketones

In the presence of saccharide-derived bifunctional amine-thiourea catalysts, the direct aldol condensation of trifluoroacetaldehyde methyl hemiacetal with aromatic ketones proceeds to produce (R)-β-hydroxy β-trifluoroalkyl ketones in low to moderate yields with good enantioselectivities.