N-benzyl aspartate nitrones: unprecedented single-step synthesis and [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions with alkenes.

N-benzyl aspartate nitrones 2, prepared by addition of N-benzylhydroxylamine to dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates 1, underwent [3 + 2] thermal cycloaddition with a wide range of alkenes to afford isoxazolidines 4 bearing a polyfunctionalized quaternary center. Under these uncatalyzed conditions, the trans stereocontrol observed with vinyl ethers is higher than that obtained with all acyclic activated nitrones reported to date. The first asymmetric access to a type-4 pure adduct was achieved starting from the chiral aspartate nitrone derived from (S)-alpha-methylbenzylhydroxylamine.