Diastereoselective addition of allylzinc bromide to imines derived from (R)-phenylglycine amide.

The highly diastereoselective addition of allylzinc bromide to imines derived from (R)-phenylglycine amide is reported. Homoallylamines with high enantiomeric purity are obtained from the adducts in three steps on removal of the chiral auxiliary by means of a nonreductive protocol. Removal of the auxiliary by hydrogenation leads to the saturated amines, also in high enantiomeric purity. [reaction: see text]