“…We then used a zirconium catalyst in asymmetric Strecker reactions. In the presence of a zirconium catalyst (10 mol %) that was prepared from Zr(OtBu) 4 , (R)-6,6'-dibromo-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol ((R)-6-Br-BINOL, 2 equiv), [9] and N-methylimidazole (NMI, 3 equiv), aldimine 1 a was treated with Bu 3 SnCN [10] in dichloromethane at À 45 8C. The reaction proceeded smoothly to afford the corresponding aaminonitrile in 70 % yield with 55 % ee.…”