Mukaiyama–Michael Reactions with Acrolein and Methacrolein: A Catalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of the C17–C28 Fragment of Pectenotoxins

Enantioselective iminium-catalyzed reactions with acrolein and methacrolein are rare. A catalytic enantioselective Mukaiyama–Michael reaction that readily accepts acrolein or methacrolein as substrates, affording the products in good yields and 91–97% ee, is presented. As an application of the methodology, an enantioselective route to the key C17–C28 segment of the pectenotoxin using the Mukaiyama–Michael reaction as the key step is described.