Intramolecular Michael addition of N- and O-centred nucleophiles to tethered acrylates. The role of double-bond geometry in controlling the diastereoselectivity of cyclizations leading to 2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyrans and piperidines

The oxyanion derived from hydroxyacrylate E-(5) undergoes smooth intramolecular Michael addition to give the trans-2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyran (7) as the major product of reaction. In contrast, the oxyanion obtained from isomer Z-(5) cyclizes to give the cis-2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyran (6) as the major product. Such chemistry has been extended to the enantioselective synthesis of (+)-(6) the acquisition of which constitutes a formal total synthesis of acid (+)-(2), a constituent of the glandular secretion from the civet cat (Viverra civetta). Reductive amination of keto acrylate (12) affords an intermediate amine which cyclizes, in situ, to give the cis-2,6-disubstituted piperidine (26). Analogous treatment of compound (13) delivers the isomeric trans-2,6-disubstituted piperidine (27) as the exclusive product of reaction. Transition state structures have been proposed to account for the diastereoselectivities observed in all of the cyclization reactions.