Mechanistic investigations of multidentate organocatalyst-promoted counterion catalysis for fast and enantioselective aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions at ambient temperature

Kinetic experiments were performed on the catalytic cycle of a trifunctional organocatalyst-promoted counterion catalysis of asymmetric aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions. The catalysis was found to be first order in the trifunctional catalyst with the Michael addition as the rate-limiting step. Temperature variation changed the rate of catalysis but not the enantioselectivity of the reaction.