Hydrogen-Bonding Directed Reversal of Enantioselectivity

Abstract

A successful stereochemical reversal was achieved in AgOAc catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition by the formation of hydrogen bonding between ligand and reactant. This strategy provides an efficient and convenient route to prepare both enantiomers of a chiral compound. DFT studies proposed a reasonable mechanism of the reversal of the enantioselectivity; hydrogen bonding changed the transition state. The strategy may provide some useful hints for ligand design.