Asymmetric Friedel-Crafts alkylation of pyrroles with nitroalkenes using a dinuclear zinc catalyst

Dinuclear zinc bis-ProPhenol complex is used as an efficient catalyst to conduct asymmetric Friedel-Crafts alkylations of unprotected pyrroles with nitroalkenes in order to prepare 2-substituted and 2,5-disubstituted pyrroles with an asymmetric carbon atom in the [alpha]-position. The avoidance of using N-protecting groups in pyrrole alkylations has increased the efficiency by which substituted pyrroles are synthesized.