cis-trans Enantiomerism in the Diels-Alder cycloadducts of 6-arylfulvenes with maleic anhydride: resolution of the exo adducts via the N-((1S)-1-(naphth-1-yl)ethyl)imide derivatives: assignment of the absolute configurations based on the crystal structure

A new case of the uncommon cis-trans enantiomerism is presented. The titled anhydride adducts were prepared in good yields by the known reaction of three 6-arylfulvenes with maleic anhydride (aryl = phenyl, p-tolyl and p-anisyl). The exo adducts were converted to the corresponding imides by reaction with (1S)-1-(naphth-1-yl)ethylamine in ∼80% yields, and the resulting diastereomeric imides separated by silica gel column chromatography. They were hydrolysed and recyclised to the chiral anhydrides, in 'one-pot' with 10% NaOH-EtOH, followed by treatment with 2 M HCl, in ∼40% yields. The titled anhydrides were thus obtained in homochiral form, in enantiomeric purities (generally) of ∼90% as indicated by chiral HPLC. The chiral anhydrides were also converted to the corresponding imides (presumably stereospecifically), by treatment with ammonia solution in excellent yields. The crystal structure of one of the above diastereomeric imides (derived from 6-phenylfulvene) was determined, and based on the known (S)-configuration of the naphthylethylamine moiety, the 'configurations' of the original anhydride adducts were assigned.