Stereoselective construction of spiro(butyrolactonepyrrolidines) by highly efficient copper(I)/TF-BiphamPhos-catalyzed asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition.

Pyrrole into one: The catalytic asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of cyclic aldimino esters has been accomplished for the first time, enabling facile access to spiro(butyrolactonepyrrolidines) containing one spiro quaternary center and three tertiary stereogenic centers (see scheme). The catalytic system performs well with a broad range of substrates, furnishing synthetically useful adducts in high yields, with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities under mild conditions.