An enantioselective route to pyrrolidines: Removal of the chiral template from homochiral pyrroloimidazoles

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4039(96)00114-1

Two-step reductive removal of the chiral template from optically active pyrroloimidazoles, available from 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of homochiral imidazolinium ylides, gives optically active substituted pyrrolidines. Selective manipulation of the substituents affords, e.g. naturally occurring proline derivatives and homochiral pyrrolizidines.