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A general and efficient rhodium‐catalyzed asymmetric cyanide‐free hydrocyanation of alkenes has been developed. Based on the asymmetric hydroformylation/condensation/aza‐Cope elimination sequences, a broad scope of substrates including mono‐substituted, 1,2‐, and 1,1‐disubstituted alkenes (involving natural product R‐ and S‐limonene) were employed, and a series of valuable chiral nitriles are prepared with high yields (up to 95 %) and enantioselectivities (up to 98 % ee). Notably, the critical factor to achieve high enantioseletivies is the addition of catalytic amount of benzoic acid. This novel methodology provides an efficient and concise synthetic route to the intermediate of vildagliptin and anagliptin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of challenging tetrasubstituted cyclic enamides has been developed, affording cyclic chiral amides with high yields and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% yield and >99% ee). This novel methodology provides an efficient and concise synthetic route to chiral cycloalkylamines with two contiguous stereogenic centers. The potential utility of this protocol in the synthesis of bioactive molecules is also disclosed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97 % ee) and diastereoselectivities (up to >99:1 d.r.) have been achieved in the desymmetrization of cyclopentenes by catalytic hydroformylation. This novel methodology provides an efficient and concise synthetic route to chiral cyclopentane carboxaldehydes. The key intermediate, (1 S,3 S)-(3-hydroxymethyl)cyclopentanol, for the synthesis of carbocyclic-ddA was obtained in three steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]