Nucleophilic Addition of Samarium Enolates to Imines

Significance

This paper reports an addition of samarium enolates derived from esters and amides to imines as an alternative to conventional metal enolate addition. The corresponding β-amino esters and amides were obtained in good to high yields. Furthermore, an enantiopure 3,4-diamino ester could be obtained from the addition of samarium enolate to enantiopure imine 1 with very high diastereoselectivity.