Asymmetric Synthesis of Axially Chiral Anilides by Enantiotopic Lithiation of Tricarbonyl(N-methyl-N-acyl-2,6-dimethylanilide)chromium Complex

Axially chiral N-methylanilides were synthesized by enantioselective lithiation of prochiral tricarbonyl(N-methyl-N-pivaloyl-2,6-dimethylaniline)chromium (1) with the lithium amide of the 4-methylpiperazinylethylamine derivative 13 followed by electrophilic quenching up to 97% ee in good yields. The resulting axially chiral chromium-complexd anilides 2 were oxidized under air to give the axially chiral anilides 14 in enantiomerically active form without axial bond rotation at room temperature.