Heterogeneous asymmetric β-C-H functionalization of aldehydes under O2 catalyzed by hydroxide-layered Fe(III) sites synergistic with confined interlayer amine

Asymmetric functionalization of inert β-C-H is one of the most powerful strategies in organic synthesis, but of great challenge in the efficient β-C-H activation and the enantioselective C-heteroatom formation. Here, this work proposes an elegant strategy for one-pot asymmetric β-C-H functionalization of aldehyde under O2 catalyzed by hydroxide-layered Fe(III) sites synergistic with confined interlayer amine through a cascade oxidation-addition process on L-proline intercalated Fe-containing layered double hydroxides (LDHs), in which the direct β-H elimination of aldehyde on hydroxide-layered Fe(III) sites with the two-electron abstraction promoted by the Fe(III):N coordination as the key step to efficiently oxidize the enamine. The major β-functionalized diastereomer in the asymmetric nitromethylation of 3-phenylpropanal has been afforded in a regioselectivity of up to >99%, a stereoselectivity of 90%, and a yield of 65% on L-proline intercalated Mg3.00Al0.47Fe0.45-LDHs.