Catalytic enantioselective amination of enolsilanes using C2-symmetric copper(II) complexes as chiral Lewis acids.

[formula: see text] [Cu(S,S)-t-Bu-box](OTf)2 (1) catalyzes the enantioselective amination of enolsilanes with azodicarboxylate derivatives. Isomerically pure enolsilanes of aryl ketones, acylpyrroles, and thioesters added to the azo-imide in greater than 95% ee. The use of an alcohol additive was critical to achieving catalyst turnover.