Enantioselective synthesis of cyanohydrin O-phosphates mediated by the bifunctional catalyst binolam-AlCl

(R)- and (S)-binolam-AICI complexes act as bifunctional catalysts to mediate the enantioselective cyanophosphorylation of aldehydes at room temperature. The resulting chiral cyanohydrin O-phosphates can be reduced to β-aminoalcohols or, when suitably substituted, can be transformed into γ-cyanoallylic alcohols through palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution, without loss of enantiomeric excess (see scheme).