Synthesis of enantiopure prolines via exo-stereoselective 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions to acetone-derived chiral stabilised azomethine ylides

The chiral stabilised azomethine ylide formed from condensation of the dimethyl acetal of acetone with (5S)-5-phenylmorpholinone undergoes stereoselective exo-cycloaddition reactions with a range of doubly and singly activated dipolarophiles when generated in the presence of excess (MgBr2OEt2)-O-.. The cycloadducts can be degraded to yield enantiomerically pure proline derivatives.