The reaction of aromatic dialdehydes with enantiopure 1,2-diamines: an expeditious route to enantiopure tricyclic amidines

The condensation of enantiopure 1,2-diamines with terephthalaldehyde, isophthalaldehyde or 2-iodo-, 2-alkyl- or 2-aryl-1,3-benzenedialdehydes in toluene followed by treatment with NBS in dichloromethane gives direct access to enantiopure 1,4-, and 1,3-di(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)benzenes (diamidines). The condensation of o-phthalaldehyde, and other ortho-disubstituted aromatic dialdehydes, with enantiopure 1,2-diamines, without NBS, gives enantiopure 3,5-dihydro-2H-imidazol-[2,1]-isoindoles.