Synthesis of ferrocene substituted pyrrolidine derivatives via Et2Zn catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of azomethine ylides

Synthesis of ferrocene substituted pyrrolidine derivatives via diethylzinc catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of azomethine ylides is described. Azomethine ylides were generated from glycine methyl ester and ferrocenecarboxaldehyde by the ‘imine tautomerization’ method and trapped with dipolarophiles to give the corresponding cycloadducts in reasonable yields and high regio- and stereoselectivity.