Lewis Acid Catalyzed Three-Component Hetero-Diels−Alder (Povarov) Reaction of <i>N</i>-Arylimines with Strained Norbornene-Derived Dienophiles

Abstract

Generally, the hetero-Diels-Alder reaction (Povarov reaction) of N-arylimine dienes are limited to reaction with activated, electron-rich alkenes. However, introduction of ring strain in the dienophile, as with moderately strained bicyclo[2.2.1]heptenes (norbornene), enables three-component Povarov reaction with in situ formed N-arylimines under Lewis acid catalyzed conditions (BF(3).OEt(2)). The reactions proceed efficiently with a diverse set of commercially available anilines and benzaldehydes, as well as a variety of substituted norbornenes. The corresponding tetrahydroquinolines are formed with high complexity in a multicomponent fashion and are obtained in good yield and high diastereoselectivity. In addition, more reactive ethyl glyoxylate derived imines were utilized to achieve faster, room temperature reactions with norbornene. In all cases, attack of the N-arylimine dienes occurred exclusively from the exo-face of the norbornene ring, but the relative stereochemistry of the substituent alpha to the tetrahydroquinoline nitrogen, as well as the regioselectivity of reaction, was shown to depend upon subtle substituent effects on the aniline precursors. In most cases, a preference for the formation of exo-exo diastereomeric adducts was observed, but for reactions of ortho- or meta-substituted anilines, the formation of exo-endo adducts was also observed. These observations may be rationalized by two competing mechanistic models, involving either a concerted asynchronous [4 + 2]-like mechanism or a stepwise mechanism.