A Catalytic Aldol Reaction and Condensation via In Situ Boron "Ate"-Complex Enolate Generation in Water.

General experimental details All starting materials were obtained commercially from Aldrich, Lancaster or Fluka and were used as received or prepared by known methods, unless otherwise stated. Solvents were also used as received or dried by known methods, unless otherwise stated. In the case of DCM and toluene this involved refluxing over CaCO3 under argon and in the case of ether and THF involved refluxing over sodium and benzophenone under argon, or using a commercial drying system. Purification by column chromatography was performed using Lancaster silica gel with pore size 60 Å, 40 Å or Florasil®. TLC was carried out using Merck aluminium-backed or plastic-backed pre-coated plates. TLC plates were analysed by UV at 254 and 365 nm, and visualisation was performed using standard solutions of 4-anisaldehyde, vanillin or PMA. NMR spectra were recorded at 200, 300 or 400 MHz using a Varia