The role of the achiral template in enantioselective transformations. Radical conjugate additions to alpha-methacrylates followed by hydrogen atom transfer.

We have evaluated various achiral templates (1a-g, 10, and 16) in conjunction with chiral Lewis acids in the conjugate addition of nucleophilic radicals to alpha-methacrylates followed by enantioselective H-atom transfer. Of these, a novel naphthosultam template (10) gave high enantioselectivity in the H-atom-transfer reactions with ee's up to 90%. A chiral Lewis acid derived from MgBr(2) and bisoxazoline (2) gave the highest selectivity in the enantioselective hydrogen-atom-transfer reactions. Non-C(2) symmetric oxazolines (20-25) have also been examined as ligands, and of these, compound 25 gave optimal results (87% yield and 80% ee). Insights into rotamer control in alpha-substituted acrylates and the critical role of the tetrahedral sulfone moiety in realizing high selectivity are discussed.