Mechanistic Studies of a Reaction Promoted by the [YLi3{tris(binaphthoxide)}] Complex: Are Three 1,1′‐Bi‐2‐naphthol Units in a Rare‐Earth–Alkali‐Metal Heterobimetallic Complex Necessary?

The power of three: Mechanistic studies based on the kinetic profiles of the catalytic asymmetric 1,4-addition of an amine to chalcone revealed that all three binol ligands of the [YLi3{tris(binaphthoxide)}] complex 1 are involved in the active species of the Y–Li heterobimetallic catalyst.