title: A novel L-neopentylglycine derivative as auxiliary for copper-catalyzed asymmetric Michael reactions.
abstract: L-Neopentylglycine diethylamide (4a). was prepared from the new unnatural amino acid L-neopentylglycine (1). The utilization of amide 4a as a chiral auxiliary in the copper(II)-catalyzed asymmetric Michael reaction was investigated in comparison with L-valine diethylamide (4b). Cyclic beta-oxocarboxylates 7 react with 4a and 4b to give the respective enaminoesters 8, which were converted with methyl vinyl ketone (9) in the presence of 10 mol% Cu(OAc)(2). H2O at room temperature in acetone to yield the optically active Michael addition products (R)-10a, b with high selectivity independent of the starting enamine. In the case of the seven-membered beta-oxocarboxylate 7c, however, the valine-derived enamine 8f led to higher enantioselectivity for product 10c. Despite the bulkiness of the neopentyl group, the isopropyl group with an alpha-branch has a better stereoinducing effect.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Organische Chemie, Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany. jchr@po.uni-stuttgart.de
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Christoffers
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schuster