Synthesis of Nitrogen-Containing Heterocycles through Catalytic Dehydrative Cyclization Reactions.

ReO in hexafluoroisopropyl alcohol provides access to cationic intermediates from alcohols through the intermediacy of perrhenate esters. This manuscript describes the application of the system to the formation of a number of weakly basic heterocyclic systems through dehydration reactions and intramolecular nucleophilic addition. The influence of the substrate structure on the reaction rates and stereocontrol is discussed with respect to intermediate ion pairs.