Scope and Limitations of Optical Pure Hydantoins as Chiral Auxiliaries in Asymmetric Mannich Reactions

The Mannich reaction of various 5-substituted and N-acyl substituted chiral hydantoins with a series of aldimines smoothly occurred with full stereochemical control. These Mannich adducts have been cleaved by alcoholysis to afford several synthetically useful chiral building blocks like β-amino esters and β-lactams in good yields and in enantiopure form.