Palladium-catalyzed aryl-amidation. Synthesis of non-racemic N-aryl lactams

The Buchwald/Hartwig aryl amination method was used to construct a series of chiral, non-racemic N-aryl pyrrolidinones from a common pyrrolidinone precursor and the corresponding aryl bromide. The stereochemical integrity of the N-aryl lactam after cross-coupling was proven by synthesis of the racemic compounds and comparison by 1H NMR spectroscopy using Pirkleʹs chiral solvating agent.