Enantioselective construction of imidazolines having vicinal tetra-substituted stereocenters by direct Mannich reaction of α-substituted α-isocyanoacetates with ketimines.

The catalytic Mannich reaction of α-substituted α-isocyanoacetates with ketimines has been investigated. A variety of imidazolines containing congested vicinal tetra-substituted stereocenters were obtained in excellent yields with high diastereo- and enantioselectivity using cinchona alkaloid amide/Ni(ii) and base catalysts.

Direct Enantioselective Vinylogous Mannich Reaction of Ketimines with γ-Butenolide by Using Cinchona Alkaloid Amide/Zinc(II) Catalysts.

A direct enantioselective vinylogous Mannich reaction of ketimines with γ-butenolide has been developed. Good yields and enantioselectivities were observed for the reaction of various ketimines by using a cinchona alkaloid amide/Zn(OTf)2 catalyst and Et3N. Both enantiomers of the products could be obtained by using pseudoenantiomeric chiral catalysts.