Application of a chiral copper-1,1-bis{2-[(4S)-tert-butyloxazolinyl]}cyclopropane catalyst for asymmetric cyclopropanation of styrene

The structural effects of the bridge moiety and 5-position on bisoxazoline ligands were studied for the copper-catalyzed asymmetric cyclopropanation of styrene with ethyl diazoacetate. The 1,1-bis{2-[(4S)-tert-butyloxazolinyl]}cyclopropane ligand showed a remarkable enhancement in the stereoselectivities (trans/cis = 84/16, >99.9% ee for the trans product) compared with the previously reported best ligand, 2,2-bis{2-[(4S)-tert-butyloxazolinyl]}propane (trans/cis = 75/25, 99.0% ee for the trans product).