Enantio- and Diastereoselective Two-Pot Synthesis of Isoquinuclidines from Glutaraldehyde and N‑Aryl Imines with DFT Calculations

A pot-economic method for the enantio- and diastereoselective synthesis of a [2.2.2] azabicyclic isoquinuclidine system is developed. This protocol involves the proline-catalyzed direct Mannich reaction-cyclization/IBX-mediated site-selective oxidation/NaBH4-reduction sequence between glutaraldehyde and imines to generate in situ chiral 1,2-DHPs, followed by the diastereoselective Diels–Alder reaction with N-aryl maleimides furnishing isoquinuclidines in overall five steps. A variety of isoquinuclidines having five-contiguous chiral centers, including an all-carbon quaternary, were prepared with high yields (up to 78%) and excellent stereoselectivity (>50:1 dr, and up to >99:1 er). DFT calculations support the observed high stereoselective reaction outcome.