Highly enantioselective organocatalytic conjugate addition of malonates to acyclic α,β-unsaturated enones

An imidazolidine easily prepared from phenylalanine is the catalyst for the highly enantioselective Michael addition shown. A great diversity of α,β-unsaturated enones was transformed with excellent enantioselectivities. The scope of the reaction is further demonstrated by the synthesis of two optically active compounds, a δ-ketoester and a tetrahydroquinoline (see scheme).