Direct Catalytic Asymmetric Mannich‐Type Reactions of N‐(2‐Hydroxyacetyl)pyrrole as an Ester‐Equivalent Donor

Stretching the limits of the Mannich reaction: A new indium–binol catalyst was used to generate the enolate of the ester-equivalent donor in situ (see scheme). The donor, an N-acylpyrrole, has many similarities to an aromatic ketone, in particular the enolates should have the same coordination mode. Versatile β-amino-α-hydroxy carboxylic acid derivatives were obtained in high yield and ee values.