Allylrhodium species generated from potassium allyltrifluoroborates can undergo isomerization by 1,4-rhodium(I) migration to give more complex isomers, which then react with cyclic imines to provide products with up to three new stereochemical elements. High enantioselectivities are obtained using chiral diene-rhodium complexes.

The palladium-catalyzed allylation of N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines with allylic alcohols in the presence of InI as reducing reagent takes place with high diastereoselectivity in reasonable yields. The reaction with crotyl alcohol is totally regioselective, leading to the anti-diastereomer as the main reaction product.

We report here an operationally simple, palladium-catalyzed cyclization reaction of N-aryl imines, affording indoles via the oxidative linkage of two C-H bonds under mild conditions using molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant. The process allows quick and atom-economical assembly of indole rings from inexpensive and readily available anilines and ketones and tolerates a broad range of functional...

A convenient gold(III)-catalyzed synthesis of azepines from the intermolecular annulation of propargyl esters and alpha,beta-unsaturated imines is reported (19 examples, 55-95% yield). This formal [4 + 3]-cycloaddition reaction is proposed to proceed via a stepwise process involving intramolecular trapping of an allyl-gold intermediate.

Stereoselective synthesis of pyrazolidinones via dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine imines with active esters under Lewis base catalysis is presented. The active esters are readily generated in situ from the corresponding acids. Products, which are obtained with excellent diastereocontrol and high enantioselectivity, contain along with the pyrazolidinone core also the tetrahydroisoquinoline st...

A copper-catalyzed method for the regioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine imines to terminal alkynes has been developed. Through the use of a chiral phosphaferrocene-oxazoline ligand, a wide range of substrates can be coupled to generate useful heterocycles in very good enantiomeric excess.

Ru(II) complexes of TsDPEN containing two alkyl groups on the non-tosylated nitrogen atom are poor catalysts for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones and imines; this observation provides direct evidence for the importance of the N-H interaction in the transition state for ketone reduction.

We have developed a versatile strategy to access dihydropyrazoles in highly enantioenriched form. Dipolar cycloaddition of electron-deficient acceptors and in situ-generated nitrile imines proceeds with high regio- and enantioselectivity using 10 mol % chiral Lewis acid catalyst. A variety of dihydropyrazoles that incorporate functionality for further manipulation have been prepared.

The asymmetric aza-Diels-Alder reaction of chiral imines with Danishefsky's diene in chiral ionic liquids provides the corresponding cycloadduct with moderate to high diastereoselectivity. The reaction has proved to perform better at room temperature in ionic liquids without either Lewis acid catalyst or organic solvent. Chiral ionic liquids are recycled while their efficiency is preserved.

Aldehyde phenyl hydrazones 2a-i undergo oxidative dehydrogenation with Chloramine-T to give nitrile imines, which are trapped in situ by ethyl oleate 1 to afford 8-(5-Aryl-4-octyl-2-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2Hpyrazol-3-yl)-octanoic acid ethyl esters 3a-i in good yield. The structures of the cycloadducts were confirmed by spectral studies and elemental analysis.