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A flow photochemical reaction system for a π-Lewis acidic metal-catalyzed cyclization/radical addition sequence was developed, which utilizes in situ-generated 2-benzopyrylium intermediates as the photoredox catalyst and electrophilic substrates. The key 2-benzopyrylium intermediates were generated in the flow reaction system through the intramolecular cyclization of ortho -carbonyl alkynylbenzene derivatives by the π-Lewis acidic metal catalyst AgNTf 2 and the subsequent proto-demetalation with trifluoroacetic acid. The 2-benzopyrylium intermediates underwent further photoreactions with benzyltrimethylsilane derivatives as the donor molecule in the flow photoreactor to provide 1 H -isochromene derivatives in higher yields in most cases than the batch reaction system., (Copyright © 2024, Terada et al.)

A π-Lewis acidic metal-catalysed cyclisation/photochemical radical addition sequence was developed, which utilises in situ generated 2-benzopyrylium cation intermediates as photoredox catalysts and electrophilic substrates to form 1 H -isochromene derivatives in good yields in most cases. The key 2-benzopyrylium intermediates were generated through the activation of the alkyne moiety of ortho -carbonyl alkynylbenzene derivatives by such π-Lewis acidic metal catalysts as AgNTf 2 and Cu(NTf 2 ) 2 , and the subsequent intramolecular cyclisation and proto-demetalation using trifluoroacetic acid. Further photo-excitation of the 2-benzopyrylium intermediates facilitated single-electron transfer from a benzyltrimethylsilane derivative as a donor molecule to promote the radical addition of arylmethyl radicals to the 2-benzopyrylium intermediates., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Background/aim: Pyra-Metho-Carnil (PMC) has been identified as a novel candidate compound for treating numerous malignancies; however, its mechanism of action remains unknown. In this study, we conducted RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses to elucidate the mechanism of PMC against human colorectal cancer cells harboring mutant KRAS (mtKRAS)., Materials and Methods: RNA-seq analyses of the HKe3-wild-type KRAS and HKe3-mtKRAS spheroids treated with DMSO or PMC for 6 days were performed., Results: RNA-seq data suggested that PMC treatment suppresses the aerobic glycolysis pathway in HKe3-mtKRAS spheroids through the down-regulation of the HIF1 pathway. Indeed, treatment with PMC markedly suppresses the absorption of glucose by spheroids and the secretion of lactate from them., Conclusion: PMC suppresses growth of cancer spheroid through down-regulation of cancer-specific glucose metabolism., (Copyright © 2023 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

A general protocol for the synthesis of α,β-dehydroamino acids and their peptides was developed. Proline efficiently catalyzed an aldol condensation reaction of a glycine Schiff base with a variety of aldehydes. The hydroxy group on the benzophenone imine was crucial for high Z / E selectivity and further transimination for protecting group-free α,β-dehydroamino esters. Peptide elongation of both the C- and N-terminals highlighted the usefulness of our present protocol., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Co-published by University of Science and Technology of China and American Chemical Society.)

We collected 3180 records of oleic acid (C18:1) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) measured using gas chromatography (GC) and 6960 records of C18:1 and MUFA measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in intermuscular fat samples of Japanese Black cattle. We compared genomic prediction performance for four linear models (genomic best linear unbiased prediction [GBLUP], kinship-adjusted multiple loci [KAML], BayesC, and BayesLASSO) and five machine learning models (Gaussian kernel [GK], deep kernel [DK], random forest [RF], extreme gradient boost [XGB], and convolutional neural network [CNN]). For GC-based C18:1 and MUFA, KAML showed the highest accuracies, followed by BayesC, XGB, DK, GK, and BayesLASSO, with more than 6% gain of accuracy by KAML over GBLUP. Meanwhile, DK had the highest prediction accuracy for NIRS-based C18:1 and MUFA, but the difference in accuracies between DK and KAML was slight. For all traits, accuracies of RF and CNN were lower than those of GBLUP. The KAML extends GBLUP methods, of which marker effects are weighted, and involves only additive genetic effects; whereas machine learning methods capture non-additive genetic effects. Thus, KAML is the most suitable method for breeding of fatty acid composition in Japanese Black cattle., (© 2023 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

Background/aim: In a screen of compounds to selectively suppress the growth of cancer spheroids, which contained mutant (mt) KRAS, NPD10621 was discovered and associated derivatives were investigated., Materials and Methods: Spheroid areas from HCT116-derived HKe3 spheroids expressing wild type (wt) KRAS (HKe3-wtKRAS) and mtKRAS (HKe3-mtKRAS) were treated with 12 NPD10621 derivatives and measured in three-dimensional floating (3DF) cultures. Several cancers were treated with NPD1018 (pyra-metho-carnil: PMC) in 3DF cultures. In a nude mouse assay, 50% cell growth inhibition (GI 50 ) values were determined., Results: From these 12 derivatives, PMC was the most effective inhibitor of HKe3-mtKRAS spheroid growth with the least toxicity. Furthermore, PMC-mediated growth suppression was observed in all tested cancer cell lines, independent of tissue context, driver gene mutations, and drug resistance, suggesting that the PMC target(s) was crucial for cancer growth in a context-independent manner. The GI 50 value of PMC in nude mice assay was 7.7 mg/kg and nude mice that were administered 40 mg/kg PMC for 7 days did not show any abnormal blood cell count values., Conclusion: PMC is a low-toxicity compound that inhibits the growth of different tumor cell types., (Copyright © 2022 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

A synthetic method for the synthesis of a highly congested α,β-dehydroamino acid through the β-C-H bond activation of an amino acid Schiff base is described. Abundant hydrocarbon feedstock could be used as an alkylating reagent to afford an α,β-dehydroamino acid bearing a quaternary carbon at the γ-position with an exclusively ( Z )-geometry. Notably, a tetrasubstituted olefin could be constructed from saturated starting materials. The transformation of the synthesized α,β-dehydroamino acid into unnatural α-amino acid derivatives was also demonstrated.

Background/aim: Among compounds from natural products selectively suppressing the growth of cancer spheroids, which have mutant (mt) KRAS, NP910 was selected and its derivatives explored., Materials and Methods: The area of HKe3 spheroids expressing wild type (wt) KRAS (HKe3-wtKRAS) and mtKRAS (HKe3-mtKRAS) were measured in three-dimensional floating (3DF) cultures treated with 18 NP910 derivatives. The 50% cell growth inhibition (GI50) was determined by long-term 3DF (LT3DF) culture and nude mice assay., Results: We selected NP882 (named STAR3) as the most effective inhibitor of growth of HKe3-mtKRAS spheroids with the least toxicity among NP910 derivatives. GI50s of STAR3 in LT3DF and nude mice assay were 6 μM and 30.75 mg/kg, respectively. However, growth suppression by STAR3 was observed in 50% of cell lines independent of KRAS mutation, suggesting that the target of STAR3 was not directly associated with KRAS mutation and KRAS-related signals., Conclusion: STAR3 is a low-toxicity compound that inhibits growth of certain tumour cells., (Copyright © 2021 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Catalytic chemoselective reactions of innately less reactive functionalities over more reactive functionalities are described. A cooperative catalyst comprising a soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base enabled chemoselective activation of a hydroxyl group over an amino group, allowing for nucleophilic addition to electron-deficient olefins. The reaction could be applicable for a variety of amino alcohols, including pharmaceuticals, without requiring a tedious protection-deprotection process. Chemoselective enolization and subsequent α-functionalization of carboxylic acid derivatives were also achieved by a redox active catalyst through the radical process, providing unnatural α-amino/hydroxy acid derivatives bearing a complex carbon framework and a diverse set of functionalities. The present chemoselective catalysis described herein offers new opportunities to expand the chemical space for innovative drug discovery research.

We developed a catalytic aerobic method to synthesize α,α-disubstituted α-amino acids through cross-dehydrogenative coupling of azlactones. Combining an iron catalyst with a bisoxazolidine ligand resulted in high catalytic performance, and cross-coupling with an indole proceeded smoothly under aerobic conditions. A wide variety of α-aryl and aliphatic amino acid derived azlactones were applied to the present catalysis. In addition, a quaternary carbon could be constructed using oxindole and benzofuranone under aerobic conditions.

Unnatural α-amino acids are invaluable building blocks in synthetic organic chemistry and could upgrade the function of peptides. We developed a new mode for catalytic activation of amino acid Schiff bases, serving as a platform for highly congested unnatural α-amino acid synthesis. The redox active copper catalyst enabled efficient cross-coupling to construct contiguous tetrasubstituted carbon centers. The broad functional group compatibility highlights the mildness of the present catalysis. Notably, we achieved successive β-functionalization and oxidation of amino acid Schiff bases to afford dehydroalanine derivatives bearing tetrasubstituted carbon. A three-component cross-coupling reaction of an amino acid Schiff base, alkyl bromides, and styrene derivatives demonstrated the high utility of the present method. The diastereoselective reaction was also achieved using menthol derivatives as a chiral auxiliary, delivering enantiomerically enriched α-amino acid bearing α,β-continuous tetrasubstituted carbon. The synthesized highly congested unnatural α-amino acid could be derivatized and incorporated into peptide synthesis.

We developed a chemoselective catalytic activation of carboxylic acid for a 1e - radical process. α-Oxidation of a variety of carboxylic acids, which preferentially undergo undesired decarboxylation under radical conditions, proceeded efficiently under the optimized conditions. Chemoselective enolization of carboxylic acid was also achieved even in the presence of more acidic carbonyls. Extensive mechanistic studies revealed that the cooperative actions of iron species and alkali metal ions derived from 4 Å molecular sieves substantially facilitated the enolization. For the first time, catalytic enolization of unprotected carboxylic acid was achieved without external addition of stoichiometric amounts of Brønsted base. The formed redox-active heterobimetallic enediolate efficiently coupled with free radical TEMPO, providing synthetically useful α-hydroxy and keto acid derivatives.

Background/aim: During screening for compounds that selectively suppress growth of human colorectal cancer (CRC) spheroids with mutant (mt) KRAS, the uridine analogue, 5-bromouridine (BrUrd) was identified and its derivatives were explored., Materials and Methods: DNA incorporation in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional floating (3DF) cultures was examined with the uridine analogue, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU). The area of HKe3 CRC spheroids expressing wild type (wt) KRAS (HKe3-wtKRAS) and mtKRAS (HKe3-mtKRAS) were measured in 3DF culture with 11 BrUrd derivatives., Results: EdU was strongly incorporated into newly-synthesized DNA from HKe3-mtKRAS cells compared to HKe3-wtKRAS in 2D and 3DF culture. 3-Deaza-cytarabine, which has properties of BrUrd and cytidine, was the most effective inhibitor of HKe3-mtKRAS spheroids with the least toxicity to HKe3-wtKRAS. Growth suppression of 3-deaza-cytarabine was stronger than cytarabine in 2D culture, and toxicity was lower than gemcitabine in long-term 3DF culture., Conclusion: 3-Deaza-cytarabine exhibits properties useful for the treatment of CRC patients with mtKRAS., (Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

A new strategy, a transient homocoupling dimer strategy, for direct catalytic oxidative cross-enolate coupling reactions is developed. Cross-enolate coupling products bearing a (contiguous) tetrasubstituted carbon center were obtained chemoselectively without the need for stoichiometric amounts of strong bases/metal oxidants, and thus, the present catalysis provides a general method for the synthesis of unnatural α,α-disubstituted amino acid motifs. The distinct transformation of azlactone and 2-acylimidazole units highlighted the synthetic utility of the present catalysis.

A synthetic route to trans-configured tetrahydrothiophenes (THTs) through Fe(OTf) 3 -promoted [3+2] cycloaddition of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes with thionoesters was developed. The cycloaddition proceeded in high yield with high diastereoselectivity, affording transient α-alkoxy THTs. Not only aromatic and aliphatic thionoesters, but also thionolactone were applicable to the present iron catalysis. Further transformation of the S,O-ketal functionality of the product was achieved in a highly trans diastereoselective manner. Moreover, the utility of our methodology was clearly demonstrated by the synthesis of enantioenriched trans-configured THTs., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Catalytic aerobic chemoselective α-oxidation of acylpyrazoles is described. Acylpyrazoles, carboxylic acid oxidation state substrates, were efficiently oxidized under aerobic conditions using TEMPO as an oxygenating agent. The mild catalytic conditions of the present catalysis were amenable to late-stage α-oxidation of various pharmaceutical agents and natural products, leading to previously unreported α-hydroxy acid derivatives in short steps. Preliminary mechanistic studies revealed that in situ generated copper(II) peroxo species served as a Lewis acid/Brønsted base cooperative catalyst.

A highly chemoselective conjugate addition of amino alcohols to α,β-unsaturated ester using a soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base cooperative catalyst was developed. This catalysis achieved chemoselective addition of a hydroxy group over an amino group. Moreover, soft metal alkoxide generation enabled chemoselective soft conjugate addition over hard transesterification. Various amino alcohols, including unprecedented cyclic β-amino alcohol, were applicable to the present catalysis.

A highly chemoselective and reactive μ-oxo-dinuclear iron(III) salen catalyst for transesterification was developed. The developed iron complex catalyzed acylation of aliphatic amino alcohols with nearly perfect O-selectivity, even when using activated esters, for which chemoselectivity is more difficult to control. In addition, O-selective transesterification of aromatic amino alcohols was achieved for the first time. The high activity of the iron complex enabled the use of sterically congested tertiary alcohols, including unprecedented tert-butanol., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A chemoselective functional group installation through catalytic hydroxy group selective conjugate addition of amino alcohols to a variety of functionalized α,β-unsaturated sulfonyl derivatives was developed. Azide group installation for click chemistry and facile fluorescent labeling onto the less reactive hydroxy group demonstrated the synthetic utility of the present chemoselective catalysis. Moreover, chemo- and regioselective reaction of an unprotected amino diol was achieved for the first time.

A direct copper-catalyzed highly chemoselective α-amination is described. Acylpyrazole proved to be a highly efficient enolate precursor of a carboxylic acid oxidation state substrate, while preactivation by a stoichiometric amount of strong base has been used in catalytic α-aminations. The simultaneous activation of both coupling partners, enolization and metal nitrenoid formation, was crucial for obtaining the product, and wide functional group compatibility highlighted the mildness of the present catalysis. The bidentate coordination mode was amenable to highly chemoselective activation over ketone and much more acidic nitroalkyl functionality. Deuterium exchange experiments clearly demonstrated that exclusive enolization of acylpyrazole was achieved without the formation of a nitronate. The present catalysis was applied to late-stage α-amination, allowing for concise access to highly versatile α-amino acid derivatives. The product could be transformed into variety of useful building blocks.

TaqMan assays were developed for the broad-range detection of arboviruses belonging to Simbu serogroup lineage 1 in the genus Orthobunyavirus and also for the specific detection of three viruses in the lineage, Akabane, Aino and Peaton viruses (AKAV, AINOV and PEAV, respectively). A primer and probe set was designed for the broad-range detection of Simbu serogroup lineage 1 (Pan-Simbu1 set) mainly targeting AKAV, AINOV, PEAV, Sathuperi and Shamonda viruses (SATV and SHAV), and the forward and reverse primers of the Pan-Simbu1 set were also used for the specific detection of AKAV with another probe (AKAV-specific set). In addition, two more primer and probe sets were designed for AINOV- and PEAV-specific detection, respectively (AINOV- and PEAV-specific sets). All of the four primer and probe sets successfully detected targeted viruses, and thus broad-range and specific detection of all the targeted viruses can be achieved by using two multiplex assays and a single assay in a dual (two-color) assay format when another primer and probe set for a bovine β-actin control is also used. The assays had an analytical sensitivity of 10 copies/tube for AKAV, at least 100 copies/tube for AINOV, 100 copies/tube for PEAV, one copy/tube for SATV and at least 10 copies/tube for SHAV, respectively. Diagnostic sensitivity of the assays was tested with field-collected bovine samples, and the results suggested that the sensitivity was higher than that of a conventional RT-PCR. These data indicate that the newly developed TaqMan assays will be useful tools for the diagnosis and screening of field-collected samples for infections of AKAV and several other arboviruses belonging to the Simbu serogroup lineage 1., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The synthesis of novel oxetanyl peptides, where the amide bond is replaced by a non-hydrolyzable oxetanylamine fragment, is reported. This new class of pseudo-dipeptides with the same H-bond donor/acceptor pattern found in proteins expands the repertoire of peptidomimetics.

A highly chemoselective conjugate addition of alcohols in the presence of amines is described. The cooperative nature of the catalyst enabled chemoselective activation of alcohols over amines, allowing the conjugate addition to soft Lewis basic α,β-unsaturated nitriles. Divergent transformation of the nitrile functionality highlights the utility of the present catalysis., (Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

An efficient protocol for direct catalytic alkynylation of ketoimines is described. The simultaneous activation of a soft Lewis basic terminal alkyne and a ketoimine bearing a thiophosphinoyl group by soft Lewis acid Cu(I) is crucial for high conversion. The reaction can be rendered asymmetric with a chiral bisphosphine ligand (S,S)-Ph-BPE.

Direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of thioamide offers a new entry to the concise enantioselective synthesis of duloxetine. The direct aldol protocol was scalable (>20 g) to afford the aldol product in 92% ee after LiAlH(4) reduction, and 84% of the chiral ligand was recovered after recrystallization. The following four steps of transformation delivered duloxetine.

Catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of nitroalkanes to α,β-unsaturated thioamides is promoted by a mesitylcopper/(R)-DTBM-Segphos precatalyst, affording γ-nitrothioamides in moderate to high syn-selectivity and excellent enantioselectivity. The intermediate Cu-thioamide enolate functions as a soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base cooperative catalyst to drive the catalytic cycle efficiently under proton transfer conditions., (© 2011 American Chemical Society)

A detailed study of the direct catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of terminal alkynes to α,β-unsaturated thioamides is described. A soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base cooperative catalyst, comprising [Cu(CH(3)CN)(4)]PF(6), bisphosphine ligand, and Li(OC(6)H(4)-p-OMe) simultaneously activated both substrates to compensate for the low reactivity of copper alkynylide. A series of control experiments revealed that the intermediate copper-thioamide enolate functioned as a Brønsted base to generate copper alkynylide from the terminal alkyne, thus driving the catalytic cycle through an efficient proton transfer between substrates. These findings led to the identification of a more convenient catalyst using potassium hexamethyldisilazane (KHMDS) as the Brønsted base, which was particularly effective for the reaction of silylacetylenes. Divergent transformation of the thioamide functionality and a concise enantioselective synthesis of a GPR40 receptor agonist AMG-837 highlighted the synthetic utility of the present catalysis., (Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of thioamides using a soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base cooperative catalyst comprising (R,R)-Ph-BPE/[Cu(CH(3)CN)(4)]PF(6)/LiOAr is described. Exclusive enolate generation from thioacetamides through a soft-soft interaction with the soft Lewis acid allowed for a direct aldol reaction to α-nonbranched aliphatic aldehydes, which are usually susceptible to self-condensation under conventional basic conditions. A hard Lewis basic phosphine oxide has emerged as an effective additive to constitute a highly active ternary soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base/hard Lewis base cooperative catalyst, enabling a direct enantio- and diastereoselective aldol reaction of thiopropionamides. Strict control of the amount of the hard Lewis base was essential to drive the catalytic cycle efficiently with a minimized retro-aldol pathway, affording syn-aldol products with high stereoselectivity. Divergent transformation of the thioamide functionality is an obvious merit of the present aldol methodology, allowing for a facile transformation of the aldol product into the corresponding aldehyde, ketone, amide, amine, and ketoester. An aldehyde derived from the direct aldol reaction was subjected to a second direct aldol reaction, which proceeded in a catalyst-controlled manner to provide 1,3-diols with high stereoselectivity., (© 2011 American Chemical Society)

A concise enantioselective synthetic route to a potent GPR40 agonist AMG 837 is described. The crucial catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of terminal alkyne was promoted by a soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base cooperative catalyst, allowing efficient construction of the requisite stereogenic center. The thioamide functional group is key to both activation in asymmetric alkynylation and facile transformation into carboxylic acid.

Direct catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of terminal alkynes to alpha,beta-unsaturated thioamides under proton transfer conditions is described. Soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base cooperative catalysis is crucial for simultaneous activation of terminal alkynes and thioamides, affording the beta-alkynylthioamides in a highly enantioselective manner. Control experiments suggested that the intermediate copper thioamide enolate can work as Brønsted base to drive the catalytic cycle via proton transfer. The divergent transformation of the thioamide functionality highlights the synthetic utility of the alkynylation products.

We report that a hard Lewis base substantially affects the reaction efficiency of direct catalytic asymmetric gamma-addition of allyl cyanide (1a) to ketones promoted by a soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base catalyst. Mechanistic studies have revealed that Cu/(R,R)-Ph-BPE and Li(OC(6)H(4)-p-OMe) serve as a soft Lewis acid and a hard Brønsted base, respectively, allowing for deprotonative activation of 1a as the rate-determining step. A ternary catalytic system comprising a soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base and an additional hard Lewis base, in which the basicity of the hard Brønsted base Li(OC(6)H(4)-p-OMe) was enhanced by phosphine oxide (the hard Lewis base) through a hard-hard interaction, outperformed the previously developed binary soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base catalytic system, leading to higher yields and enantioselectivities while using one-tenth the catalyst loading and one-fifth the amount of 1a. This second-generation catalyst allows efficient access to highly enantioenriched tertiary alcohols under nearly ideal atom-economical conditions (0.5-1 mol % catalyst loading and a substrate molar ratio of 1:2).

A direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of thioamides with a soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base cooperative catalytic system comprising (R,R)-Ph-BPE/[Cu(CH(3)CN)(4)]PF(6)/LiOAr is described. Highly chemoselective deprotonative activation of thioamides allows for a direct aldol reaction of alpha-nonbranched aliphatic aldehydes, which are susceptible to self-condensation. Facile reduction of the thioamide functionality and a catalyst-controlled second aldol reaction provides 1,3-diols in a highly stereoselective manner.

A direct catalytic asymmetric addition of allyl cyanide to ketones with a bimetallic catalytic system comprising (R,R)-Ph-BPE/[Cu(CH(3)CN)(4)]ClO(4)/LiOAr is described. Exclusive gamma-addition of allyl cyanide was observed, affording optically enriched tertiary alcohols bearing Z-configured alpha,beta-unsaturated nitriles. The reaction proceeded under proton-transfer conditions, utilizing soft Lewis acid/hard Brønsted base bifunctional catalysis. The applicability of the reaction to aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic ketones demonstrates its wide substrate generality.

Taking the reins: The title transformation of thioamides and N-diphenylphosphinoyl imines is described. By harnessing the power of cooperative catalysis between a soft Lewis acid and a hard Brønsted base, thioamide carbon pronucleophiles can furnish Mannich products (see scheme). Divergent transformation of the thioamide functionality highlights the utility of this methodology.

Direct catalytic asymmetric addition of allylic cyanides to N-diphenylphosphinoyl ketoimines with a bimetallic catalytic system comprising Ph-BPE/[Cu(CH3CN)4]ClO4/LiOAr is described. Intermediary alpha-adducts readily isomerized to afford synthetically useful alpha,beta-unsaturated nitriles bearing an optically active tetrasubstituted carbon. Applicability to aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic ketoimines exemplifies wide substrate generality. Transformation of the product into densely functionalized material showcases the utility of the present protocol.