An anchimeric effect of vicinal dimesylate in the intramolecular nucleophilic substitution by amine is described. One sulfonate group of the dimesylate acts as an internal nucleophile and the other as a leaving group, affording meso-bimorpholine in the intramolecular cyclization. ω,ω′-Dimesylate omits this effect and the target compound is obtained with high ee.
neighboring-group effects - cyclizations - asymmetric synthesis - amines - stereoselectivity