New advances in stereoselective Meyers' lactamization. Application to the diastereoselective synthesis of β-substituted oxazoloazepinones

A stereoselective approach to the preparation of 7,5-fused bicyclic lactams based on Meyers' lactamization is presented. The lactamization step is conducted at 0 °C with 6-oxohexanoic acid 1 and with various chiral aminoalcohols in the presence of 2-fluoro-1-ethylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate (FEP) as an activating agent. Under these mild conditions, bicyclic lactams 2-4 were obtained in satisfactory yields and diastereoselectivities up to 95%. To account for the high level of diastereoselection, the mechanistic aspects of Meyers' lactamization were investigated by means of in situ infrared spectroscopy. Finally, the lactam enolate derived from 2 was subjected to reaction with various electrophiles, furnishing the corresponding β-substituted oxazoloazepinones 5-9 in good yields (up to 86%) and in moderate to excellent diastereoselectivities ranging from 27% to 95% de.