Enantioselective conjugate addition of hydroxylamines to α,β-unsaturated 2-acyl imidazoles catalyzed by a chiral-at-metal Rh(iii) complex

Abstract

A catalytic enantioselective hydroxyamination of α,β-unsaturated 2-acyl imidazoles with N-protected hydroxyl amines catalyzed by a chiral-at-metal Rh(III) complex (0.5–2 mol%) has been developed. The approach affords valuable N-Boc protected β-amino acid derivatives in moderate to good yields with high enantioselectivity (up to 94% yield, 99.5% ee).