Catalytic Enantioselective Friedländer Condensations: Facile Access to Quinolines with Remote Stereogenic Centers

Enamine catalysis enables the first catalytic enantioselective Friedländer reaction. The desymmetrization of 4-substituted cyclohexanones upon reaction with o-aminobenzaldehydes allows for the synthesis of quinolines with remote stereogenic centers. These heterocycles, which are obtained with high levels of enantioselectivity, serve as precursors for chiral tacrine analogues.