Regioselective Formation ofendo- andexo-Cyclic Enamines: Both Enantio­meric Products Accessible by the Same Chiral Auxiliary

Abstract

The copper-catalyzed conversion of exo-cyclic enamines 4a-c with methyl vinyl ketone (2) yields spirocyclic products 6a-c in a sequence of Michael and aldol reaction. The application of the chiral auxiliary L-valine diethylamide results in the formation of quaternary stereocenters with high enantiomeric excess. The configuration of intermediate imine 5a is determined to be S. Thus, exo-cyclic enamines 4 yield S-configured spiroketones 6, whereas, as shown for spiroketone ent-6c, reaction of endo-cyclic enamines such as 1 generates the opposite configuration in the products applying the same auxiliary L-valine diethylamide 9.