Iridium-catalyzed asymmetric ring-opening reactions of N-Boc-azabenzonorbornadiene with secondary amine nucleophiles.

Iridium-catalyzed asymmetric ring-opening reactions of N-Boc-azabenzonorbornadiene with a number of secondary amines has been developed for the first time. The reaction gave 1,2-trans-diamine derivatives in moderate to good yields with high enantioselectivity in the presence of 2.5 mol % of [Ir(COD)Cl]2 and 5 mol % of (S)-BINAP. The trans-configuration of the 1,2-diamino products was confirmed by X-ray crystallography.