Highly diastereoselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nonstabilized azomethine ylides to 3-nitro-2-trihalomethyl-2H-chromenes: synthesis of 1-benzopyrano[3,4-c]pyrrolidines

Reactions of 3-nitro-2-trifluoro(trichloro)methyl-2H-chromenes, including 2-unsubstituted derivatives, with N-alkyl-α-amino acids (sarcosine, proline) and paraformaldehyde proceed diastereoselectively to give 1-benzopyrano[3,4-c]pyrrolidines in good yields as a result of a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of the intermediate nonstabilized azomethine ylide at the Δ3-bond of the chromene system.