Catalytic Diastereo- and Enantioselective Synthesis of 2-Imidazolinones

Org Lett. 2019 Jun 7;21(11):4063-4066. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.9b01244. Epub 2019 May 15.

Abstract

Chiral cyclic ureas (2-imidazolinones) were prepared by the reaction of nitrones and isocyanoacetate esters using a multicatalytic system that combines a bifunctional Brønsted base-squaramide organocatalyst and Ag+ as a Lewis acid. The reaction could be achieved with a range of nitrones derived from aryl- and cycloalkylaldehydes with moderate diastereo- and good enantioselectivity. A plausible mechanism involving an initial formal [3 + 3] cycloaddition of the nitrone and isocyanoacetate ester, followed by rearrangement to an aminoisocyanate and cyclization to the imidazolinone, is proposed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't