Diels-Alder reactions sulfinimines

Tietze and Schuffenhauer explored the intermolecular hetero Diels-Alder reaction of ethyl vinyl ether and sulfinimine 204 and found that at high pressures (11 kbar) and long reaction times (48 h at room temperature), tetrahydropyridines 205 and 206 were obtained in 96% yield and in a ratio of 1.7 1.107 The exo-adducts were not observed. Phenyl vinyl sulfide reacts similarly, but simple alkenes failed. Theoretical calculations and the experimental results suggest that while the cycloaddition is concerted, it is highly asynchronous. 

The aza Diels-Alder reactions of a, ff-unsaturated sulfinimines (140) represent a very efficient approach to enantiopure dihydro- and tetrahydropyridines (141) (Scheme 8.34, Table 8.11) for a reasonable reaction rate the 1-aza-l,3-butadiene moiety 140 must carry an electron-withdrawing group at the 3-position [65]. The compounds are accessible in only three steps starting from commercially available substrates. Thus, the enantiopure 1-aza-l,3-butadiene can be prepared from the enantiopure menthyl sulfinate with lithium hexamethyldisilazide followed by addition of acetic acid and an a, -unsaturated aldehyde. The cycloadditions of sulfinimines such as 140 run under mild conditions with high yields and excellent endo-selectivity in most cases when high pressure is applied. In these reactions two endo and two exo transition structures namely syn and anti to the sulfoxide moiety should be discussed. The cycloaddition of 140 and t-butyl vinyl ether was performed under various pressures ranging from 0.2 to 1.2 GPa. 

Scheme 8.34. Hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of sulfinimine 140.

Scheme 8.35. Transition structures of the Diels-Alder reaction of sulfinimines with enol ethers.

---