Synthesis of a Chiral 3,3′-Di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyrrole

Summary.

 Diethyl 3,3′-di-tert-butyl-4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyrrole-5,5′-dicarboxylate was synthesized in four steps from ethyl 3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylate. The CH₂ hydrogens of the ethyl ester groups of the former are diastereotopic in the ¹H-NMR, consistent with axial chirality of the bipyrrole and restricted rotation about the 2,2′-bipyrrole bond, due to the tert-butyl groups. An X-ray structure of the crystalline target compound shows the pyrrole rings are twisted out of coplanarity by 84.5°.