Aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman Reaction with Ion-Supported Ph₃P

Togo et al. have reported the aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman (aza-MBH) reaction of N-tosyl arylimines with vinyl ketones using ion-supported Ph₃P, 1-methyl-1-[4-(diphenylphosphino)benzyl]pyrrolidinium bromide, as a catalyst. They have demonstrated that the ion-supported Ph₃P can be used for the aza-MBH reaction to give the corresponding adducts in good yields with high purity by simple filtration of the reaction mixture. Moreover, the ion-supported Ph₃P is reused for the same reaction maintaining good yields with high purity. (This article appears on the cover of the issue of Tetrahedron)