A diastereoselective Mannich reaction of α-fluoroketones with ketimines: Construction of β-fluoroamine motifs with vicinal tetrasubstituted stereocenters

•The Mannich reaction of simple α-fluoroketones with ketimines was described.•Isatin-derived ketimines and phenylglyoxylate-derived ketimines were used.•β-Fluoroamine motifs with vicinal tetrasubstituted stereocenters were obtained.•Open- and closed transition-state modes were proposed.