@article {11431, title = {Highly enantioselective, catalytic conjugate addition of cyanide to alpha,beta-unsaturated imides.}, journal = {Journal of the American Chemical Society}, volume = {125}, year = {2003}, month = {2003 Apr 16}, pages = {4442-3}, abstract = {(Salen)Al-Cl complex 1a catalyzes the asymmetric conjugate addition of hydrogen cyanide to alpha,beta-unsaturated imides in high yields and enantioselectivities. The cyanide adducts can readily be converted into a variety of useful chiral building blocks, including alpha-substituted-beta-amino acids and beta-substituted-gamma-aminobutyric acids. Mechanistic data obtained thus far point to a cooperative bimetallic mechanism for nucleophile and electrophile activation.}, keywords = {ALKENES, amino acids, CATALYSIS, CYANIDES, gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Imides, Stereoisomerism}, issn = {0002-7863}, author = {Sammis, G. M. and Jacobsen, Eric N.} }