A Cooperative Ternary Catalysis System for Asymmetric Lactonizations of α-Ketoesters

A general and enantioselective N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed lactonization of simple enals and α-ketoesters has been discovered using a new ternary cooperative catalytic system. The highly selective annulation was achieved by using a combination of a chiral NHC, a hydrogen-bond donor, and a metal salt, facilitating self-assembly of the reactive partners. A proposed model for this new mode of NHC chiral relay catalysis is supported by experimental and computational mechanistic studies.