Cycloadditions of vinylindoles with chiral carbodienophiles: the first asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions in the vinylhetarane series

Abstract The first asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions of some 3- and 2-vinylindoles with (N-propenoyl)bornane-10,2-sultam are described. With one exception, the experimental results are indicative of a high π-facial diastereoselectivity. Following a related procedure, 3-vinylindoles were also allowed to react with a racemic bis(naphthylsulfonyl)-dienophile to furnish tetrahydrocarbazoles with endo-diastereoselectivity.