Electroreductive intramolecular coupling of N-(oxoalkyl)phthalimides: complementary method to samarium(II) iodide reduction

The electroreductive intramolecular coupling of phthalimides with ketones in the presence of chlorotrimethylsilane gave five- and six-membered trans-cyclized products stereospecifically (>99%). Similar electroreductive intramolecular coupling of phthalimides with aldehydes afforded five-, six-, and seven-membered trans-cyclized products stereoselectively (75–93%). On the other hand, the reductive coupling of N-(oxoalkyl)phthalimides with samarium(II) iodide gave cis-cyclized products stereoselectively (88–>99%).