Enantioselective Synthesis of AG-041R by using N-Heteroarenesulfonyl Cinchona Alkaloid Amides as Organocatalysts

The organocatalytic enantioselective decarboxylative addition of malonic acid half thioesters to ketimines derived from isatins by using N-heteroarenesulfonyl cinchona alkaloid amides afforded products with high enantioselectivity. The products could be converted into optically active AG-041R. X-ray crystallographic analysis revealed that the hydrogen bonding between the sulfonimide proton and the 8-quinolyl nitrogen atom plays an important role in exerting the enantioselectivity of the reaction.