Silver acetate catalysed asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of imines and chiral acrylamides

N-Metallated azomethine ylides 5 were generated by the reaction of arylidene glycine imines 1 with AgOAc and triethylamine. These azomethine ylides undergo cycloaddition to chiral acrylamides 2 with excellent diastereoselectivity. The configuration of two of the cycloadducts (3a(1) and 3c(1)) has been confirmed by Xray crystallography