A significant improvement of the chemical yields (up to 88%), stereoselectivity (> 99:1) and enantiomeric excesses (up to 98%) of (L)-proline catalyzed direct asymmetric aldol reaction was found when proline based chiral ionic liquids (CILs) were added as additives. Different ratios of DMSO/H2O as solvent and chiral ionic liquids (CILs) with chiral cations of different chain length were investigated
aldol reaction; asymmetric synthesis; chiral ionic liquids; chiral additive