Catalytic asymmetric cycloaddition of unsymmetrical EWG-activated alkenes to fully substituted pyrrolidines bearing three different carbonyl groups

Chem Commun (Camb). 2019 Nov 26;55(95):14363-14366. doi: 10.1039/c9cc07738c.

Abstract

A unique 1,3-dipolar [3+2] cycloaddition of alkyl 4-oxo-4-arylbut-2-enoates bearing two different electron-withdrawing groups was completed by using the silver/(R)-DTBM-Segphos catalyst system, which gives the corresponding fully substituted pyrrolidines with four stereogenic centers in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee).