Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of highly substituted pyrrolizidines

Abstract

A catalytic asymmetric double (1,3)-dipolar cycloaddition reaction has been developed. Using a chiral silver catalyst, enantioenriched pyrrolizidines can be prepared in one flask from inexpensive, commercially available starting materials. The pyrrolizidine products contain a variety of substitution patterns and as many as six stereogenic centers.