A straightforward and facile method has been developed to prepare 1,1-disubstituted hydrazines via Lewis base promoted direct reductive hydrazination. Under the catalysis of hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), respectively, various ketones and aldehydes could react with phenylhdrazines to prepare 1,1-disubstituted hydrazines with good to high yields.

L-Valine derived N-sulfinamides have been developed as efficient enantioselective Lewis basic organocatalysts for the asymmetric reduction of N-aryl and N-alkyl ketimines with trichlorosilane. Catalyst 3c afforded up to 99% yield and 96% ee in the reduction of N-alkyl ketimines and up to 98% yield and 98% ee in the reduction of N-aryl ketimines.

Two concise routes for the first total synthesis of Sparstolonin B (SsnB) have been described. The synthesis of SsnB could be accomplished in 5 and 6 steps with 40% and 38% overall yield, respectively. The rhodium-catalysed oxidative coupling of benzoic acid with internal alkyne was used in both strategies to construct the core structure of SsnB.

The efficient and enantioselective hydrosilylation of 3-aryl-1,4-benzooxazines was achieved using an l-phenyl alanine derived new Lewis base catalyst bearing stereogenic carbon and sulfur centers. In the presence of 2 mol % of catalyst, a broad range of 3-aryl-1,4-benzooxazines were hydrosilylated to afford the corresponding chiral 3-aryl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzooxazine products with good to high yields (66–98%) and enantioselectivities (70–99% ee). This method provides an alternative approach with great practical application potential to access chiral 3-aryl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzooxazines.

L-Valine derived N-sulfinamides have been developed as efficient enantioselective Lewis basic organocatalysts for the asymmetric reduction of N-aryl and N-alkyl ketimines with trichlorosilane. Catalyst 3c afforded up to 99% yield and 96% ee in the reduction of N-alkyl ketimines and up to 98% yield and 98% ee in the reduction of N-aryl ketimines.