The N-tert-butanesulfinylimine
group behaves as a suitable electron-withdrawing group in 1-azadienes,
allowing the diastereoselective synthesis of densely substituted pyrrolidines
by 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions (1,3-DCs) with azomethylene ylides.
The use of Ag2CO3 as catalyst has allowed one
to obtain a wide variety of proline derivatives with high regio- and
diastereoselectivities. Subsequent efficient transformations provide
valuable proline derivatives, some of which can be used as organocatalysts.
The influence of the N-tert-butanesulfinyl
group on the diastereoselectivity was studied by computational methods.