Enantioselective Addition of Diethylzinc to Aldehydes Catalyzed by (S)-1-Alkyl-2-(arylamino)methylpyrrolidine

Several chiral diamines, (S)-1-alkyl-2-(arylamino)methylpyrrolidine, were used as chiral catalysts for the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes. The best results were obtained by employing 0.15 equiv of (S)-2-anilinomethyl-1-benzylpyrrolidine, and chiral secondary alcohols were obtained with high enantiomeric excesses (up to 94% ee).