A simple asymmetric synthesis of 2-substituted pyrrolidines and 5-substituted pyrrolidinones

An efficient procedure for the preparation of the title compounds in high enantiomeric purity has been realized starting from 3-acylpropionic acids. Stereoselective reduction of chiral bicyclic lactams 2a-h, prepared from the corresponding γ-keto acid and (R)-phenylglycinol, using alane or triethylsilane with titanium tetrachloride provided the N-substituted pyrrolidines and pyrrolidinones, respectively. Subsequent cleavage of the phenylglycinol returned the desired amines and lactams. The enantiomeric purity of these compounds was determined to be >98% by chiral stationary-phase HPLC