New synthesis of cis-3,4-diaryl-1-tosylpyrrolidines

Unsymmetrically substituted cis-3,4-diarylpyrrolidines are synthesized in nearly 25% overall yields starting from 4-aryl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridines by iterative reactions using the combination of m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (MCPBA) and boron trifluoride etherate (BF3·OEt2) followed by Grignard addition, elimination and hydrogenation sequence.