The influence of ligand side chain on the enantioselectivity of Lewis acid catalyzed Diels-Alder reactions.

The enantioselective Lewis acid-catalyzed Diels-Alder reaction of 3-(2-propenoyl)-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one 8 with cyclopentadiene was examined using a series of chiral mox ligands 2-6, deferring in the side chain at 2-position of the chiral oxazoline and in the nature of the substituent at the chiral center (4-position) of the oxazoline ring, and a combination of N-[(1R)-2-chloro-1-phenylethyl]-2-[(4R)-4-phenyl-4,5-dihydrooxazol-2-yl]butyramide 2-MgI(2)-I(2) was the most efficient catalyst.