Chelating diamide based rate enhancement of intramolecular alkene hydroaminations catalyzed by a neutral Sc(III) complex.

[reaction: see text] Neutral scandium amido complexes are viable catalysts for intramolecular alkene hydroamination. Catalytic activity is strongly coupled to the electronic character of the Sc(III) ligand environment with chelating diamide coordination providing a precatalyst possessing substantially improved activity and superb distereoselectivity in the synthesis of trans-2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidines.