Organocatalyzed Asymmetric Vinylogous Allylic-Allylic Alkylation of Morita-Baylis-Hillman Carbonates with Olefinic Azlactones: Facile Access to Chiral Multifunctional α-Amino Acid Derivatives

Org Lett. 2015 Jul 2;17(13):3206-9. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.5b01066. Epub 2015 Jun 15.

Abstract

Vinylogous reactivity of olefinic azlactones was realized through the development of a chiral amine-catalyzed highly stereoselective allylic-allylic alkylation with Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates. The Lewis base activation of electrophile and Brønsted base activation of nucleophile were efficiently combined, giving access to multifunctional acyclic α-amino acid derivatives in a highly stereocontrolled manner. The synthetic utility of these versatile synthons was further demonstrated by the facile synthesis of protected cyclic quaternary α-amino acids.