Asymmetric Synthesis of β-Amino Acids by Addition of Chiral Enolates to Nitrones via N-Acyloxyiminium ions

N-Acyloxyiminium ions, generated by the reaction of nitrones with acyl halides, are highly reactive species and undergo facile reaction with a wide range of nucleophiles, such as ketene silyl acetals, titanium(IV) and boron enolates, hydrido- and allyltin(IV) reagents, and alkynyltitanium(IV) reagents, to give α-substituted amine derivatives. Optically active β-amino acids can be prepared by the reaction of N-acyloxyiminium ions with both boron and titanium(IV) enolates bearing chiral auxiliaries. Reversal of diastereoselectivity was observed by the reactions of the boron and titanium(IV) enolates. Using these reactions, all of the four stereoisomers of α-methyl-β-phenylalanines, for example, can be prepared highly diastereoselectively. Cyclic N-acyloxyiminium ions are useful for the asymmetric synthesis of pyrrolidine and piperidine alkaloids; (5R,8R,8aS)-5-cyano-8-methylindolizidine, which is a common key intermediate for synthesis of 5-substituted 8-methylindolizidines, was prepared selectively.