Asymmetric Brominative Dearomatization of 2-Naphthols Using a Cinchona Alkaloid-Based Organocatalyst.

A cinchona alkaloid-based organocatalyst enables asymmetric brominative dearomatization of 2-naphthols, providing the corresponding bromonaphthalenones with high enantioselectivities. The first metal-free reaction can accommodate a variety of functional groups and give useful frameworks bearing a Br-containing tetrasubstituted stereogenic center.