Diels–Alder reaction of optically active (E)-γ-keto-α,β-unsaturated p-tolylsulfoxides with cyclopentadiene

The Diels–Alder reaction of enantiomerically pure (E)-γ-keto-α,β-unsaturated p-tolylsulphoxides 3 with cyclopentadiene give four easily separable diastereomers. The effect of several Lewis acids on the reaction was studied, finding a high endo selectivity with respect to the carbonyl group and moderate π-diastereoselectivity using BF3·Et2O as catalyst. The reactivity of compounds 3 as well as their endo selectivity are both higher than those observed for the corresponding (E)-3-sulfinylacrylates.