An efficient catalytic asymmetric addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to aldehydes at room temperature

The BINOL–salen compound (S)-5c in combination with Ti(OiPr)4 is found to catalyze the addition of TMSCN to aldehydes to form chiral cyanohydrins with very good enantioselectivity (75–85% ee). The reactions are carried out in one-pot at room temperature without the need to isolate the chiral Lewis acid catalyst.