Chiral salen-titanium complexes were found to be efficient catalysts f
br the enantioselective trimethylsilylcyanation of aldehydes. An enant
ioselectivity up to 87.1% e.e. was obtained by using 10mol% Ti(IV)-sal
en 2d as catalyst. The reaction mechanism was proposed and proved expe
rimentally. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.