An important reaction type in modern organic synthesis is the
enantioselective carbon–carbon bond formation. Zinc(II)
complexes in combination with aziridine ligands are powerful
tools in several stereocontrolled reactions such as cycloaddition,1
nitroaldol (Henry) reactions,2 and arylations of aldehydes.3 The
aldol condensation is a key tool for the construction of simple bhydroxy
carbonyl building blocks, and the ability to control the
enantioselectivity of this process is the principal behind the synthesis
of many organic and bioorganic systems. Zinc(II) complexes
which catalyze the aldol reaction are known in the literature