Lithium N-trityl-N-(R)-1-phenethylamide, a readily available and useful base for the enantioselective formation of chiral enolates from achiral ketones

Lithium N-trityl-N-(R)-1-phenylethylamide (6) is a readily available and useful reagent for the enantioselective (20:1) conversion of 4-t-butylcyclohexanone to the corresponding (S)-enolate. This reaction provides access to numerous useful chiral compounds.