TBD-Catalyzed Direct 5- and 6-enolexo Aldolization of Ketoaldehydes: The direct intramolecular aldol reaction of unmodified ketoaldehydes is one of the most efficient means of synthesizing five, six, and seven-membered rings. We have recently discovered that guanidine reagents, is an efficient organocatalyst for direct intramolecular aldol reaction leading to 2-keto-cyclopentanols and 2-keto-cyclohexanols in good to excellent yield. Further developments such as mechanistical studies and the expansion of the reactivity spectrum of guanidine organocatalysts are under investigations in our laboratory.
Organocatalysis
