“…On the other hand, europium was the best lanthanide when using 2 with the same ketoesters 1b , c ; thus, the Michael acceptor plays a fundamental role in the choice of the metal ion. The determination of enantiomeric composition of chiral 8b was done through NMR analysis by two different methods: by adding the chiral shift reagent Eu(hfc) 3 and by addition of ( R , R )-α,α-bis(trifuoromethyl)-9,10-anthracenedimethanol (( R , R )-ABTE), a chiral solvating agent useful for enantiomeric resolution of β-dicarbonyl compounds . Then, we studied the behavior of ytterbium triflate in the reaction of 1c with 7 in acetonitrile at different temperatures (entries 4−7).…”