Proline sulphonamide-catalysed Yamada-Otani condensation: reaction development, substrate scope and scaffold reactivity

The development of a proline sulphonamide-catalysed method for enantioselective and diastereoselective construction of functionalized cyclohexenones is described. Impact of catalyst structure as well as solvent effects and additives are explored. A significant substrate scope is demonstrated by variation of both the aldehyde and the enone components. Diastereoselective derivatization of the cyclohexenone scaffold illustrates its utility as a building block for chemical synthesis.