Synthesis of 3,3-diarylpyrrolidines from diaryl ketones

Abstract

3,3-Diarylsuccinic acids 4 were prepared from diaryl ketones by the Knoevenagel condensation with ethyl cyanoacete followed by KCN addition and hydrolysis. These were cyclised using primary amines to the respective diarylpyrrolidones 7, which were finally reduced to 3,3-diarylpyrrolidines using BH3 THF.