Enantioselective 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reaction of Nitrones with α-(Acyloxy)acroleins Catalyzed by Dipeptide-Derived Chiral Tri- or Diammonium Salts

Organoammonium salts of dipeptide-derived chiral tri-amines or diamines with TfOH catalyzed the enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of alpha-acyloxyacroleins with nitrones to give the corresponding adducts in good yields (up to 96%) and with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities (up to 89% ee). Although alpha-(p-methoxybenzoyloxy)acrolein is rather unstable under the reaction conditions, alpha-(3-pyrroline-1-carbonyloxy)acrolein is stable enough to be smoothly converted into the corresponding adducts with the aid of the chiral organoammonium salt catalysts.