Diastereoselective Lithiation-Substitution of N-Silyl-Protected-(S)-Tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-c]imidazole-3(2H)-ones and Applications of Their Derivatives

This thesis describes a method involving the preparation of an L-proline-derived imidazolone protected with an N-triethylsilyl group that undergoes diastereoselective lithiation followed by electrophile quench to give C5-substituted products with syn stereochemistry. The N-silylated derivatives may be more easily N-deprotected as compared to previous N-t-Bu analogues to give secondary ureas. These may serve as precursors to N-phenyl chiral bicyclic guanidines or as NHC precursors for synthesis of corresponding complexes.