Use of copper(II)/diamine catalysts in the desymmetrisation of meso-diols and asymmetric Henry reactions: comparison of (−)-sparteine and (+)-sparteine surrogates

Four new copper(II)/diamine complexes comprising some (+)-sparteine surrogates and a cyclohexane-derived diamine were prepared and evaluated as chiral catalysts in desymmetrisation of meso-diols and asymmetric Henry reactions. Mono-benzoylation reactions generated two products with high enantioselectivity (90:10 to 97:3 er). Asymmetric Henry reactions gave nitro alcohols in 90:10 to 98:2 er. Notably, the sense of induction with the (+)-sparteine surrogates was opposite to that obtained using the copper(II)/(−)-sparteine complex. One of the nitro alcohol products was utilised in a concise synthesis of a chiral morpholine.