Diastereo- and enantioselective N-heterocyclic carbene catalyzed 1-azadiene Diels–Alder reactions of (E)-2-styrylbenzothiazoles with α-chloro aldehydes are reported. This annulation strategy provides an efficient access to medicinally important dihydrobenzothiazolopyridin-1-ones in good to excellent yields (44–97%) with very good to excellent stereoselectivities (up to 9:1 dr, 98% ee) and tolerates quite a range of substituents.
Key words
N-heterocyclic carbenes - organocatalysis - asymmetric synthesis - aza-Diels–Alder reaction - annulation