Organocatalytic enantio- and diastereoselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between alanine-derived ketonitrones and E-crotonaldehyde: efficiency and full stereochemical studies

Highly enantio- and exo-selective 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of alanine-derived ketonitrones to E-crotonaldehyde could be realized in a good yield by the use of a chiral imidazolidinone salt without the addition of water. The origin of the stereoselectivity in the reaction was discussed and the absolute configuration of the cycloadduct determined unambiguously. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.