Dichotomy of Reductive Addition of Amines to Cyclopropyl Ketones vs Pyrrolidine Synthesis

Abstract

An interesting catalytic dichotomy was discovered: switching between simple ligand-free catalysts leads to fundamentally different outcomes of reductive reaction between amines and α-carbonylcyclopropanes. Whereas a rhodium catalyst leads to the traditional reductive amination product, ruthenium catalysis enables a novel reaction of pyrrolidine synthesis via ring expansion. The protocols do not require an external hydrogen source and employ carbon monoxide as a deoxygenative agent. The developed methodologies are perfectly compatible with a number of synthetically important functionalities such as ester, carboxyl, bromo, and Cbz moieties.