关键词: 铜催化, 膦配体, 环加成, 对映选择性, 叶立德

Optically pure pyrrolidine ring systems are core structural motifs found in a range of bioactive compounds, natural products, pharmaceuticals and catalysts. The synthesis of optically pure pyrrolidine ring systems is no longer mysterious as a great number of studies concerning the catalytic asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of iminoesters have been reported. Overall, the transition-metal-catalyzed asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of iminoesters with electron-deficient alkenes is one of the most powerful and straightforward synthetic tools for the optically pure pyrrolidines. However, high diastereo-and enantioselectivities are requested simultaneously during the synthesis of chiral substituted pyrrolidine and it still remains a big challenge to develop an efficient way to achieve both of them. Recently, we developed a novel chiral sulfinamide mono-phosphine (Ming-Phos) which performed well in copper-catalyzed intermolecular cycloaddition of iminoesters with β-trifluoromethyl β,β-disubstituted enones or α-trifluoromethyl α,β-unsaturated esters. Encouraged by the satisfying results, herein we report the Ming-Phos/Cu-catalyzed asymmetric intermolecular[3+2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with nitroalkenes. To our delight, a new Ming-Phos M3 bearing a trifluoromethyl showed good performance in this type of inter-molecular cycloaddition with high diastereo-and enantioselectivities (up to 13:1 dr, 98% ee and 95% yield). High efficiency, high diastereo-and enantioselectivity, a novel ligand, an inexpensive copper catalyst, and good functional group tolerance make it worth to be considered as an efficient, reliable and atom-economic strategy for the synthesis of optically pyrrolidines. The general procedure is as following:the solution of M3 (5.5 mol%) and Cu(CH₃CN)₄BF₄ (5 mol%) in methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE, 6 mL) was stirred at room temperature for 2 h. After the reaction temperature was dropped to -30℃, azomethine ylides 2 (0.6 mmol), Cs₂CO₃ (0.15 mmol) and nitroalkene 1 (0.3 mmol) were added sequentially. After the nitroalkene 1 was consumed completely, the solvent was removed under reduced pressure. The crude product was analyzed with ¹H NMR to determine the diastereomeric ratio. Then the crude product was then purified by flash column chromatography on silica gel to afford the desired product.

Key words: copper catalysis, phosphine ligand, cycloaddition, enantioselectivity, ylides