N-phosphinyl imine chemistry (I): design and synthesis of novel N-phosphinyl imines and their application to asymmetric aza-Henry reaction.

Novel chiral N-phosphinamide and N-phosphinyl imines have been designed, synthesized and applied to asymmetric aza-Henry reaction to give excellent chemical yields (92%- quant.) and diastereoselectivity (91% to >99%de). The reaction showed a great substrate scope in which aromatic/aliphatic aldehyde- and ketone-derived N-phosphinyl imines can be employed as electrophiles. The chiral N-phosphinamide can be stored at room temperature for more than 2 months without inert gas protection, and chiral N-phosphinyl imines were also proven to be highly stable at room temperature for a long period under inert gas protection. The N-phosphinyl group enabled the product purification to be performed simply by washing crude product with EtOAc and hexane. This reaction joined other eight GAP (Group-Assistant-Purification) chemistry processes that were developed in our laboratories. The absolute configuration has been unambiguously determined by converting a β-nitroamine product into a known N-Boc sample.