Convenient strategy for the synthesis of highly functionalizable hydroxylated unsaturated azepanes

A convenient approach to the construction of dihydroxylated unsaturated azepanes featuring a functional group (ethoxycarbonyl)methyl or (cyano)methyl at C-2 was achieved from a pent-4-enal synthon obtained in four steps from d-xylose. The key step of the sequence relied on the conjugate addition of allylamine to α,β-unsaturated ester or nitrile, prepared by Wadsworth–Emmons olefination. Subsequent RCM afforded the target unsaturated azepanes.