Enantioselective Vinylogous Mannich Reaction of Acyclic Vinylketene Silyl Acetals with Ketimines Using Chiral Bis(imidazoline)-Cu(II) Catalysts.

The enantioselective vinylogous Mannich reaction of ketimines derived from isatins with acyclic vinylketene silyl acetals has been developed using a chiral bis(imidazoline)-Cu(II) catalyst. A series of chiral 3-aminooxindole derivatives bearing tetra-substituted stereogenic centers with an alpha,beta-unsaturated ester moiety were obtained in excellent yields (up to 99%) with high enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee). Enantioselective bisvinylogous Mannich reaction to ketimines derived from isatins also afforded product with high enantioselectivity. Based on the experimental investigations, a possible transition state has been proposed to explain the origin of the asymmetric induction.