Enantioselective Strecker reaction promoted by chiral N-oxides

The asymmetric Strecker reaction of aldimines and trimethylsilyl cyanide pr omoted by 1 equivalent of chiral N-oxide affords the corresponding a-amino nitriles with enantioselectivities of Up to 73% most effectively for electr on-deficient aldimines under mild reaction conditions. Two new resolving me thods and one new synthetic methodology were developed to obtain three nove l chiral N-oxides.