Synthesis of new 1,2-diaminic ligand for the asymmetric Henry reaction

Over the years, asymmetric catalysis has taken on increasingly central in enantioselective synthesis. Using chiral catalysts, both synthetic and of natural origin, optical active molecules can be obtained starting from prochiral molecules, with high yields and enantiomeric excesses. Recently, we have developed a new ligand with an amino alcoholic structure, ligand 1 (Figure 1), which has proved to be an excellent chiral catalyst in the dialkylzinc addition reaction to aldehydes. Having found in literature significant advantages in the use of 1,2-diaminic ligands in asymmetric synthesis and in light of the good results obtained with 1 , the work we present concerns the synthesis and of a new chiral ligand with diaminic catalytic site, taking as model ligand 1 . Once any attempt to transform the ligand 1 into the desired structure failed, it was decided to construct the new ligand by passing through the formation of an aziridine ring and the subsequent regioselective opening of the same (Figure 2). Currently, the synthetic strategy chosen to optimize ligand structure involves its application in the Henry reaction.