Asymmetric catalysis of ene-type reaction with fluoral by chiral titanium complex: A semi-empirical and ab-initio analysis of ene reactivity

Abstract

The chiral titanium complex-catalyzed ene-type reaction with fluoral is shown to serve as an efficient route for the asymmetric synthesis of CF3-substituted compounds of biological and synthetic importance in extremely high enantiomeric excesses (>95% ee). The ene reactivity of trihaloacetaldehyde including fluoral is estimated in terms of the balance of LUMO energy level vs. electron density on the carbonyl carbon. © 1993.