Seven chiral β-aminoalcohols were synthesized by Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation and used as chiral catalysts in the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes．The effects of the amount and the structure of catalysts, solvent and reaction temperature on enantioselectivity were also studied. When the amount of catalyst was 5 mol% relative to aldehyde, solvent was toluene and reaction temperature was －10 ℃, the chiral ligand, 1S,2R-(＋)-2-amino-1,2-diphenylethanol (1b), efficiently catalyzed the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes with the yield up to 100% and enantiomeric excess up to 85%.

Key words: chiral β-aminoalcohol, catalysis, diethylzinc, asymmetric addition