Lewis acid-catalyzed formal [3+2] cycloadditions of N-tosyl aziridines with electron-rich alkenes via selective carbon–carbon bond cleavage

A novel, mild, robust catalyst Y(OTf)(3) for C-C bond heterolysis of N-tosyl aziridines was developed and the resulting metallo-azomethine ylides may readily undergo [3+2] dipolar cycloaddition with an electron-rich olefin via a stepwise reaction pathway with high regio- and diastereoselectivity leading to substituted pyrrolidines.