Enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes using chiral polymer catalysts possessing a methylene spacer

Abstract

N-Butylnorephedrine supported on polystyrene resin via a six-methylene spacer catalyses the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes, providing optically active secondary alcohols in good to high enantiomeric excesses. In the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to an aliphatic aldehyde, polymer catalyst with a six-methylene spacer is more enantioselective than other previously reported polymer catalysts.