Catalytic Enantioselective Addition of Me2Zn to Aromatic Aldehydes Promoted by New Modular Thiophene-Oxazoline Ligands

A small library of aryl and dialkyl 3-hydroxy thiophene 2-oxazolines was simply prepared by direct and selective metalation of 4-tertbutyl-2-(thiophene-2-yl)-4,5-dihidrooxazole and its successive reaction with aromatic and aliphatic ketones. The ligand 7h was able to promote the addition of Me2Zn to aromatic aldehydes with good enantioselectivity (up to 92 % ee).