Ni(II)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Synthesis of β-Hydroxy Esters with Carboxylate Assistance.

A Ni-oxazoline complex-catalyzed asymmetric decarboxylative aldol reaction between malonic acid half-oxyesters and various carbonyls with carboxylate assistance was developed, affording structurally diverse β-hydroxy esters with good yields and enantioselectivities under mild conditions. Importantly, the broad substrate scope of this methodology enabled rapid accesses to several natural products and their analogues as exemplified by phenylpropanoid, phaitanthrin B, and phthalide.