Highly Enantioselective Michael Addition of Cyclic Diketones to ,-Unsaturated -Keto Esters Catalyzed by Squaramide Organocata

A new tertiary amine-squaramide organocatalyst has been developed and applied to the asymmetric Michael addition of cyclic diketones to beta,gamma-unsaturated alpha-keto esters. The catalyst system performed well with a low catalyst loading of 1 mol% under mild reaction conditions. A series of synthetically and pharmaceutically useful chiral bicyclic compounds were obtained in high yields (up to 97%) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee). Furthermore, this catalytic system can be used efficiently in large-scale reactions with the yields and enantioselectivities being maintained.