An efficient catalytic system for the three-component coupling of electrophilic alkenes, aldehydes, and silane was optimized with a new family of copper N-heterocyclic carbene complexes. These catalysts do not require activation and show high activity (TOF > 15 000 h-1) as well as some anti diastereoselectivity.
![A three-component tandem reductive Aldol reaction catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbene-copper complexes](https://www.iciq.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/A-three-component-tandem_eng_noticies_articles_2006_3.gif)