Enantioselective [2 + 2] Cycloaddition of Unactivated Alkenes with α-Acyloxyacroleins Catalyzed by Chiral Organoammonium Salts

We report the first example of an organocatalytic enantioselective [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of unactivated alkenes with α-acyloxyacroleins to give optically active 1-acyloxycyclobutanecarbaldehydes and subsequent ring expansion to give optically active 2-hydroxycyclopentanone derivatives. Organoammonium salt, H-L-Phe-L-Leu-N(CH 2 CH 2 ) 2 -reduced triamine•2.6HNTf 2, is a highly effective chiral catalyst for the above enantioselective [2 + 2] cycloaddition. Thus, we have developed a novel and useful formal enantioselective [2 + 3] cycloaddition through two steps.