Tandem Michael imino–aldol reactions catalyzed by samarium diiodide

Samarium diiodide catalyzes a one-pot procedure allowing to perform sequentially the Michael addition of a ketene silyl acetal on a cyclic α,β-unsaturated ketone, followed by the addition of a glyoxylic or aromatic imine. The presence of a coordinating group on the imine increases the rate of the reaction.