Enantioselective addition of nitrones to activated cyclopropanes

In this paper, we demonstrate the first examples of chiral Lewis acid catalysis in the formation of tetrahydro-1,2-oxazines with very high enantioselectivity starting with diactivated cyclopropanes and nitrones (>90% yields and ee). Reactions with racemic substituted cyclopropanes provide approximately 1:1 diastereomeric tetrahydro-1,2-oxazine products with high enantioselectivity. Mechanistic information for the formation of the tetrahydro-1,2-oxazines is also detailed.