An Asymmetric Synthesis of Isoindolinones

Recently, the results from this laboratory showed that the reductive alkylation of protected (S)-malimide could be achieved in a high regio- and diastereoselective manner. The substituted 2-pyrrolidinones thus formed are versatile chiral building blocks which can be used in the asymmetric synthesis of pyrrolidines^1,2],2-pyrrolidinones^3,4] and β-hydroxy-γ-amino acids^5,6]. As an extension of this work, and in combination with the current interest in the synthesis of isoindolin-1-ones, a study on the asymmetric reductive alkylation of phthalimide derived from (R)-phenylglycinol was undertaken.