Proline-thiourea host-guest complex-catalyzed direct enantioselective aldol reactions have been developed, in which the catalytic activities were evaluated in the direct asymmetric aldol reactions of various aromatic aldehydes and cyclohexanone.

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A donor-acceptor dyad model system using a flavin moiety as a photo-active acceptor has been synthesized for an energy and photo-induced electron transfer study. The photophysical investigations of the dyad revealed a multi-path energy and electron transfer process with a very high transfer efficiency. The photo-activity of flavin was believed to play an important role in the process, implying the potential application of flavin as a novel acceptor molecule for photovoltaics.

[reactions: see text] Acylphosphonates are potent acyl anion precursors that generate acyl anion equivalents under the promotion of cyanide anion via phosphonate-phosphate rearrangement. These anions readily react with aldehydes to provide cross-benzoin products. In this way it is possible to synthesize a variety of aromatic-aromatic, aromatic-aliphatic, and aliphatic-aromatic benzoins. Moreover the reaction of benzoylphosphonate with potent electrophile 2,2,2-trifluoroacetophenone provided the corresponding aldehyde-ketone coupling product in high yield.

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