Approach to enantioselective conjugate addition of organocopper reagents to cycloalkenones by the aid of chiral lactam bearing phosphine group

The chiral lactam-phosphine ligand and copper salt mediated asymmetric conjugate addition reaction of butylmagnesium chloride and diethylzinc with cycloalkenones afforded the addition products in moderate selectivity. Among phosphines examined, 5-[(diphenylphosphino)methyl]-3,3-dimethylpyrrolidin-2-one 5 gave rise to moderate enantioselectivity and high yield. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.