Highly enantioselective Michael addition reactions of diethyl malonate to various
chalcones have been achieved under mild chiral multisite phase-transfer reaction conditions
by the successful utilization of 2,4,6-(triscinchoniummethyl)phenyl-1,3,5-triazines
as new chiral quaternary ammonium catalysts. This simple asymmetric Michael addition
process was found to be quite effective and to obtain Michael adducts with very good
yields and enantiomeric excesses.
Key words
phase-transfer catalysts - Michael reaction - enantioselective reaction - quaternary
ammonium salt - cinchona alkaloid