A configurational switch based on iridium-catalyzed allylic cyclization: application in asymmetric total syntheses of prosopis, dendrobate, and spruce alkaloids.

A method for the stereoselective synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted piperidines has been developed that is based on the use of an intramolecular iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution as a configurational switch. The procedure allows the preparation of 2-vinylpiperidines with enantiomeric excesses (ee) of greater than 99%. As applications, total syntheses of piperidine alkaloids have been elaborated, most often by using Ru-catalyzed cross-metatheses as a key step for introduction of a side chain. Asymmetric total syntheses of the prosopis alkaloids (+)-prosopinine, (+)-prosophylline, (+)-prosopine, and of the dendrobate alkaloid (+)-241D and its C6 epimer are described.