Asymmetric Diels–Alder reactions in supercritical carbon dioxide catalyzed by rare earth complexes

The rare earth(III) salt catalysed asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction of cyclopentadiene with a chiral dienophile in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) proceeded rapidly to give the adduct with a higher diastereoselectivity than that in dichloromethane; Yb(ClO4)3 gave the endo adduct with value up to 77% de at 40°C, 8 MPa. The chiral rare earth diketonate catalyzed hetero Diels–Alder reaction of the Danishefskyʹs diene with benzaldehyde gave a higher yield and an enantioselectivity in scCO2 than that in dichloromethane. Scandium/pybox complex catalysed asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction of 3-crotonoyl-2-oxazolidinone with cyclopentadiene in the presence of MS4A proceeded smoothly in scCO2 to give the endo adduct in a good yield with up to 88% ee.