Catalytic Asymmetric Pictet−Spengler Reaction

Abstract
A catalytic asymmetric Pictet-Spengler reaction has been developed, wherein treating substituted tryptamines with an aldehyde in the presence of a catalytic amount of a chiral phosphoric acid provides the corresponding tetrahydro-beta-carboline derivatives in high yields and enantiomeric excesses. The reaction works well with both aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes.