The asymmetric alkylation of dimethylhydrazones; intermolecular chirality transfer using sparteine as chiral ligand.

The asymmetric alkylation of ketones represents a fundamental transformation in organic chemistry. Chiral auxiliaries have been used almost exclusively for this transformation. Herein we describe a strategy for the generation of enantiomerically enriched α-alkylated ketones up to an er of 83 : 17, using a chiral ligand protocol.