Probing the Active Catalyst in Product-Accelerated Proline-Mediated Reactions

Abstract

A new catalytic cycle involving only soluble proline complexes or adducts is proposed for the reactions in eq 1 based on kinetic observations and molecular modeling studies. This reaction pathway circumventing free proline and incorporating hydrogen-bonded reaction product helps to rationalize the observations of accelerating reaction rate in both the alpha-aminooxylation and alpha-amination reactions.