title: Highly enantioselective oxazaborolidine-catalyzed reduction of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds: role of the additive diethylaniline.
abstract: The oxazaborolidine-catalyzed reduction of 2,2-disubstituted cycloalkan-1,3-diones or hindered 2,2-disubstituted cyclic ketones using catecholborane as reductant proceeds with greater enantioselectivity when N,N-diethylaniline is added. It has now been shown that the effect of this additive is to catalyze the conversion of a harmful minor impurity in catalyst preparations to the active catalyst.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Rong-Jie
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Chein
authors.forename: Ying-Yeung
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Corey