Organocatalytic sequential α-amination-Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination of aldehydes:: Enantioselective synthesis of γ-amino-α,β-unsaturated esters

A novel and highly enantioselective method for the synthesis of gamma-amino-alpha,beta-unsaturated esters via tandem alpha-amination-Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) olefination of aldehydes is described. The one-pot assembly has been demonstrated for the construction of functionalized chiral 2-pyrrolidones, subunits present in several alkaloids.