XY–ZH systems as potential 1,3-dipoles. Part 11. Stereochemistry of 1,3-dipoles generated by the decarboxylative route to azomethine ylides

Abstract

The decarboxylative reaction of aryl aldehydes with cyclic secondary α-amino acids or primary α-amino acids in the presence of N-methyl- or N-phenyl-maleimide leads, via an intermediate azomethine ylide, to mixtures of bicyclic pyrrolidine cycloadducts in good yield. Cyclic secondary α-amino acids, where the carboxylic group is non-benzylic, give cycloadducts arising from a stereospecifically generated anti-dipole. Acyclic α-amino acids, and cyclic secondary α-amino acids with the carboxylic group located at a benzylic site, give rise to cycloadducts derived from both anti- and syn-configurations of the intermediate azomethine glides. The reactions show little discrimination between endo- and exo-transition states for the cycloadditions.