Pure and Applied Chemistry

Abstract: Diels-Alder cycloadditions of S-indoline chiral acrylamides with cyclopentadiene in the presence of Lewis acids proceed with high diastereofacial selectivity, giving either endo-R or endo-S products depending on Lewis acid and the structures of chiral dienophiles. Diastereo- and enantioselective pinacol coupling reactions of chiral α-ketoamides mediated by samarium diiodide afforded extremely high diastereoselectivities. Enantiopure (S,S) - or (R,R) -2,3-dialkyltartaric acid and derivatives can be synthesized. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that α,β-unsaturated amides coupled with SmI₂ to dimerized products containing two chiral carbons which were first obtained as the adjacent chiral carbons.