A direct and versatile access to α,α-disubstituted 2-pyrrolidinylmethanols by Sml2-mediated reductive coupling

Various alpha,alpha-disubstituted 2-pyrrolidinylmethanols are efficiently prepared in a single step from ketones using a Sml(2)-mediated cross-coupling with 1-pyrroline N-oxide. The N-hydroxy-alpha,alpha-diphenylprolinol is also easily prepared and resolved.