New developments in the asymmetric synthesis of heterocyclic natural products

Abstract

Various chiral α,β-unsaturated γ-lactams 1 were prepared in high yield and in a single step from corresponding primary amines. The different reactivities of lactams 1 could be exploited to prepare diversely substituted pyrrolidones, pyrrolidines, γ-aminoacids and alkaloids. Their application to the synthesis of enantiomerically pure (-)-cephalotaxine are described. ©ARKAT.