Cyclopentane-1,2-dione bis(tert-butyldimethylsilyl) enol ether in asymmetric organocatalytic Mukaiyama–Michael reactions

Cyclopentane-1,2-dione bis(tert-butyldimethylsilyl) enol ether readily undergoes organocatalytic reactions with α,β-unsaturated aldehydes resulting in Mukaiyama–Michael adducts which, after reduction of the aldehyde group and deprotection result in chiral 1,2-diketones (in mono-enolic form) in good yields (up to 66%) and with high stereoselectivity (up to 94% ee).