Phosphine-catalyzed diastereo- and enantioselective michael addition of β-carbonyl esters to β-trifluoromethyl and β-ester enones: Enhanced reactivity by inorganic base

A novel chiral biamide-phosphine multifunctional catalyst has been developed that mediates the asymmetric intermolecular Michael addition of β-carbonyl esters to β-trifluoromethyl enones and 3-aroyl acrylates in the presence of competing methyl acrylate and the inorganic base. This method provides a facile access to structurally diverse trifluoromethyl and quaternary stereogenic centers with excellent enantioselectivity (up to 99% ee) and good diastereoselectivity (up to 13:1 dr). The addition of the inorganic base (K3PO4) does not cause the background racemic reaction and enhances the reactivity by serving as a co-catalyst.