Abstract: The complex of titanium ethoxide and an acyclic dipeptide ester whose terminal amino group is modified to a sa1icy: al-type Schiff base catalyzes the asymmetric addition of hydrogen cyanide to aldehydes with high enantioselectivity. In the reaction of benzaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide,(R)-mandelonitrile is obtained with an enantiomeric excess of 90% when N-((2-hydroxy-l-naphthyl) methylene)-(S)-valyl-(S)-tryptophan methyl ester is ...
