Stereodivergent Construction of Spiropyrrolidine‐ <i>γ</i> ‐Butyrolactones Enabled by Cu/Ru Sequential Catalysis and Stereoselective Reduction
The stereodivergent synthesis of spiroheterocycles bearing multiple stereocenters is a pivotal yet challenging frontier in asymmetric catalysis, particularly for rigid scaffolds integrating pharmacophoric pyrrolidine and γ-butyrolactone motifs with structural complexity and saturation. While the strategy of synergistic dual catalysis has advanced the stereodivergent construction of vicinal stereocenters, the precise control of 1,3-nonadjacent stereocenters in spirocyclic architectures remains underdeveloped. Herein, we report a bimetallic Cu/Ru sequential catalytic platform enabling stereodivergent access to spiropyrrolidine-γ-butyrolactones with three skipped stereocenters. By orchestrally integrating Cu-catalyzed asymmetric alkylation with Ru-mediated tandem asymmetric transfer hydrogenation/lactonization, this one-pot protocol achieves independent stereochemical control over two successively formed 1,3-stereocenters through sequential catalytic cycles. A stereoselective imine reduction further installs the third stereocenter with exceptional diastereoselectivity, completing the three-dimensional chiral architectures that were otherwise inaccessible. Control experiments validate the sequential catalytic pathway and reveal the essential role of Cs<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> in facilitating lactonization.
Authors
- Xiu‐Qin Dong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5045-1198)
- Kui Tian
- Zuo‐Fei Wang
- Qi Xiong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2575-2244)
- Chun‐Jiang Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3629-6889)
- Xin‐Lian Liu
- Yulan Song (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3203-0733)
- Ling He
- Yi Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8073-480X)
Institutions
- Nankai University (CN)
- Wuhan University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition
- Published
- 2025-11-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202519537
- Primary Topic
- Asymmetric Hydrogenation and Catalysis
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00