Reaction of alpha-(N-carbamoyl)alkylcuprates with enantioenriched propargyl electrophiles: synthesis of enantioenriched 3-pyrrolines

Enantioenriched propargyl mesylates or perfluorobenzoates react with alpha-(N-carbamoyl)alkylcuprates to afford scalemic alpha-(N-carbamoyl) allenes which undergo N-Boc deprotection and AgNO3-promoted cyclization to afford N-alkyl-3-pyrrolines. The synthetic sequence proceeds under optimal conditions with no loss of enantiopurity relative to the starting propargyl alcohols prepared by asymmetric addition of terminal alkynes to aldehydes.