Asymmetric Organocatalytic Approach to 2,4-Disubstituted 1,2,3-Triazoles by N2-Selective Aza-Michael Addition

Despite the fact that N1-functionalization of NH-1,2,3-triazoles has been known for several decades, enantioselective variants of this reaction have only recently been developed. Nevertheless, functionalization at the N2-position of NH-1,2,3-triazoles leading to optically active N2-substituted triazoles is not yet developed. In this article, we report, for the first time, the asymmetric aza-Michael reaction of 4-aryl-NH-1,2,3-triazoles to cyclic enones under the catalytic influence of chiral bifunctional thiourea organocatalysts for the enantioselective generation of 2,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles. The cinchonine-derived thiourea catalyst III worked efficiently in the current transformation to produce N2-functionalized 1,2,3-triazoles as major products in optical yields up to >99.9% along with minor 1,4-disubstitued 1,2,3-triazoles.