A general synthetic route to enantiopure cis-fused perhydrocycloalka[c]pyridines from phenylglycinol-derived lactams

A synthetic route to enantiopure piperidines bearing a five-, six-, or seven-membered carbocyclic ring cis-fused on the c side of the heterocycle from a common phenylglycinol-derived δ-lactam is reported. Key steps are (i) a cyclocondensation reaction of (R)-phenylglycinol with a racemic γ-oxoester in a process that involves a dynamic kinetic resolution; (ii) a highly stereoselective conjugate addition of an organocuprate to an unsaturated δ-lactam; and (iii) a ring-closing olefin metathesis.