Access to the nicotine system by application of a guanidine-catalyzed asymmetric Michael addition of diphenyliminoacetate with 3-pyridyl vinyl ketone

A guanidine-based chiral organocatalyst was successfully applied to the Michael addition of diphenyliminoacetate to pyridyl vinyl ketone as a key reaction for the construction of the nicotine system. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.