Chiral N,O-Ligand/[Cu(OAc)₂]-Catalyzed Asymmetric Construction of 4-Aminopyrrolidine Derivatives by 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of Azomethine Ylides with α-Phthalimidoacrylates

A protocol to access useful 4-aminopyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylate derivatives has been developed. A variety of chiral N,O-ligands derived from 2,3-dihydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine motifs have been evaluated in the asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides to α-phthalimidoacrylates. Reactions catalyzed by copper in combination with ligand 7-Cl-DHIPOH provided the highest level of stereoselectivity for the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction. The reaction tolerates both β-substituted and β-unsubstituted α-phthalimidoacrylate as dipolarophiles, affording the corresponding quaternary 4-aminopyrrolidine cycloadducts with excellent diastereo- (>98:2 d.r.) and enantioselectivities (up to 97 % ee). Removal of the phthalimido protecting group can be accomplished by a simple NaBH4 reduction. Theoretical calculations employing DFT methods show this cycloaddition reaction is likely to proceed through a stepwise mechanism and the stereochemistry was also theoretically rationalized.