Highly Chemoselective Intermolecular Cross-Benzoin Reactions Using An Ad Hoc Designed Novel N-Heterocyclic Carbene Catalyst

The design of a novel N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst incorporating a bulky yet highly electron-deficient N-aryl substituent has allowed the development of an efficient protocol for the first highly chemoselective intermolecular benzoin condensations between two non-identical aromatic aldehydes.