An efficient catalytic synthesis of α-amino-β-keto esters has been newly developed. Cross-coupling of various aldehydes with α-imino ester, catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbene, leads chemoselectively to α-amino-β-keto esters in moderate to good yields with high atom efficiency. The reaction mechanism is discussed, and it is proposed that the α-amino-β-keto esters are formed under thermodynamic ...

The mol-ecule of the title compund, C(30)H(28)N(2)O(2), a Schiff base synthesised via a condensation reaction between 4-meth-oxy-benzaldehyde and 3,3'-dimethyl-benzidine, a crystallographic twofold rotation axis passes through the mid-point of the C-C bond of the biphenyl unit. Thus, the asymmetric unit comprises one half-mol-ecule. In the biphenyl unit, the aromatic rings are twisted by 13.49 ...