Diaminomethylenemalononitrile organocatalyst 5 promotes the asymmetric conjugate addition of branched aldehydes to vinyl sulfone to afford the corresponding adducts with all-carbon quaternary stereocenters in excellent yields with up to 91% ee.
Asymmetric conjugate additions of branched aldehydes to vinyl sulfones promoted by sulfonamide organocatalyst 6 or 7 have been developed, allowing facile synthesis of the corresponding adducts with all-carbon quaternary stereocenters in excellent yields with up to 95% ee.