Radical Migration–Addition of N-tert-Butanesulfinyl Imines with Organozinc Reagents

A novel migration–addition sequence was discovered for the reaction of enantioenriched N-tert-butanesulfinyl iminoacetate 1a with functionalized benzylzinc bromide reagents, producing tert-leucine derivatives in excellent diastereoselectivity (dr 98:2). The absolute configurations of two new chiral centers were unambiguously assigned by chemical transformations and X-ray crystallography. In addition, the regio- and diastereoselectivities of this novel reaction were both explained through the key N-sulfinamine intermediate M6 generated by the tert-butyl radical attack on the imine. Computational analysis of this reaction process, which was performed at the B3LYP/6-311++G­(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31G*-LANL2DZ level, also supported our proposed two-stage mechanism.