Convenient One-Pot Synthesis of Chiral Tetrahydropyridines via a Multicomponent Reaction

The multicomponent condensation of various β-dicarbonyl compounds, acrolein and ( S)-2-phenylglycinol was found to provide a one-pot access to chiral 6-carbonyl-3-phenyl-2,3,8,8a-tetrahydro-7 H-[1,3]oxazolo[3,2- A]pyridines. The value of this methodology is illustrated by the short and efficient synthesis of (-)-lupinine.