Palladium(0)-Catalyzed Asymmetric Cycloaddition of Vinyloxiranes with Heterocumulenes Using Chiral Phosphine Ligands: An Effective Route to Highly Enantioselective Vinyloxazolidine Derivatives

Abstract

Cycloaddition reaction of 2-vinyloxiranes with carbodiimides using Pd2(dba)3·CHCl3, and TolBINAP as the chiral ligand, in THF at ambient temperature, afforded 4-vinyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-imines in 70−99% yield and in up to 95% ee. The stereoselectivity is strongly influenced by the structure of the chiral phosphine ligands and substrates, as well as by the reaction conditions. The enantiodetermination step is assumed to be nucleophilic attack of a nitrogen nucleophile on a π-allyl palladium intermediate. Reaction of 2-vinyloxiranes with isocyanates using the same catalyst system afforded 4-vinyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-ones in high yield but in no greater than 50% ee.