Access to 2,6-Disubstituted 4-Oxopiperidines Using a 6-Endo-trig Cyclization: Stereoselective Synthesis of Spruce Alkaloid and (+)-241D.

A synthetic route to cis-2-methyl-4-oxo-6-alkylpiperidines has been developed using a 6-endo-trig cyclization of (E)-enones. The base-mediated intramolecular cyclization was found to be general for both alkyl- and aryl-substituted enones, providing the corresponding 4-oxopiperidines in high yields (80-89%). Stereoselective reduction of the 2,6-cis-disubstituted 4-oxopiperidines then gave the 2,4,6-cis,cis-trisubstituted 4-hydroxypiperidines in high diastereoselectivity. The general nature of this approach was demonstrated with the synthesis of the natural products, spruce alkaloid and (+)-241D.