Chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed enantioselective synthesis of β-amino-α,α-difluoro carbonyl compounds.

A biphenol-based chiral phosphoric acid bearing a 9-anthryl group at each of the 3,3'-positions catalyzed the asymmetric Mannich-type reaction of N-Boc imine with difluoroenol silyl ethers in the presence of MS3A in THF to afford β-amino-α,α-difluoroketones in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivities. Optically pure 3,3-difluoroazetidin-2-one was readily synthesized from the Mannich-adduct.