Bifunctional Iminophosphorane Catalyzed Amide Enolization for Enantioselective Cyclohexadienone Desymmetrization

Abstract The organocatalytic enolization of 2‐arylacetamides, followed by an enantioselective intramolecular conjugate addition to tethered 2,5‐cyclohexadienones, yielding 3D fused N ‐heterocycles, is described. The transformation represents the first strong activating group‐free activation of carboxamides via α‐C−H deprotonation in a metal‐free, catalytic, and enantioselective reaction, and is achieved by employing a bifunctional iminophosphorane (BIMP) superbase.