Synthesis of enantiomerically pure 4-substituted pyrrolidin-3-ols via asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition

Asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of chiral azomethine ylides to 3-benzyloxy-substituted alkenoyleamphorsultams are described. trans-3,4-Disubstituted pyrrolidines containing a protected hydroxyl group at C(4) of the pyrrolidine ring are obtained in high diastereomeric ratios. Such compound can serve as chiral building blocks for the syntheses of enantiopure bioactive pyrrolidines. This is exemplified by a short synthetic route to a known glycosidase inhibitor, (3R,4R)-4-(hydroxy- methyl)pyrrolidin-3-ol and its enantiomer. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.