Catalytic dissymmetrization of meso-2-imidazolidinones: alternative route to chiral synthons for 1,2-diamines

The chiral functionalization of a simple heterocycle, 1,3-dihydro-2-imidazolone, was achieved by the highly enantioselective monodeacylation of meso-1,3-diacetyl-2-imidazolidinones via an oxazaborolidine-catalyzed borane reduction. This kinetically controlled dissymmetrization is sufficiently effective to provide a synthetic route to either enantiomer of (4S, 5S)- or (4R, 5R)-4,5-dimethoxy-2-imidazolidinone derivatives, which serve as chiral synthons for threo-1,2-diamines.