The enantioselective high-pressure Diels–Alder reaction of 1-methoxybuta-1,3-diene with tert-butyldimethylsilyloxyacetaldehyde catalyzed by (salen)Co(II) and (salen)Cr(III)Cl complexes

The high-pressure (10–11 kbar) reaction of 1-methoxybuta-1,3-diene (1) with tert-butyldimethylsilyloxyacetaldehyde (2), catalyzed by the chiral (salen)Co(II) 4 or (salen)Cr(III)Cl 5 complexes, has been studied. We found that the reaction afforded, in good yield (up to 90%) and both with very good diastereoselectivity (up to 92%) and enantioselectivity (up to 94% ee), the [4 + 2]cycloadducts 3, which are compounds of significant synthetic interest.