Experimental and Computational Studies of the Diastereoselective Alkylations of 3-Substituted γ-Sultams

We report that chiral 3-substituted γ-sultam α-carbanions undergo diastereoselective alkylation reactions with alkyl halides to predominantly produce trans-3,5-disubstituted γ-sultam products. Quantum mechanical calculations provided a stereoelectronic rationale for the observed diastereoselectivity.