[Ru(phgly) 2 (binap)]/Li 2 CO 3 : A Highly Active, Robust, and Enantioselective Catalyst for the Cyanosilylation of Aldehydes

The right combination : A series of aromatic, heteroaromatic, aliphatic, and α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes can be converted into the desired silylated cyanohydrins by reaction with (CH 3 ) 3 SiCN and a catalyst system consisting of the combination of a chiral ruthenium complex and Li 2 CO 3 (see scheme). The reaction is highly enantioselective and affords the R  products with up to 98 %  ee within 24 h at a substrate‐to‐catalyst ratio of 10 000:1.