Diastereoselective Synthesis of Nicotine Derivatives via 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reactions

A simple diastereoselective route to nicotine derivatives is presented. The one-pot three component 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of the Knoevenagel adducts of a number of aromatic aldehydes and malononitrile with an azomethine ylide derived in situ from pyridine-3-carbaldehyde and sarcosine give access to nicotine derivatives in good yields.