Titanium-catalyzed enantioselective alkynylation of aldehydes

A simple and practical method to make chiral propargylic alcohols has been developed: in the presence of a titanium alkoxide catalyst prepared in situ from titanium tetra-isopropoxide and (R)-H8-binaphthol, a variety of aromatic aldehydes were converted to the corresponding chiral propargylic alcohols with very good enantioselectivities (up to 96.2% e.e.) and yields.Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technolog