[Structure: see text] On activation by pyridine N-acylation, enolates of N-nicotinoyl and N-isonicotinoyl glycine and alanine derivatives cyclize to yield 6,5-azabicyclic or 6,4-azaspirocyclic lactams. With an N-alpha-methyl-p-methoxybenzyl group the cyclization is diastereoselective; hydrogenation and deprotection yields azabicyclic amino acids in 94:6 er.

Lithiation of N-benzyl pyridine and quinoline carboxamides alpha to nitrogen gives anions that undergo intramolecular attack on the pyridine or quinoline ring, either directly or on activation of the ring by N-acylation. The resulting four-, five-, or six-membered-ring-containing compound may be oxidized, protonated, alkylated, or acylated to give a range of polycyclic heterocycles, including pyrrolopyridines, pyrroloquinolines, benzonaphthyridines, and azaspirocyclic beta-lactams. [reaction: see text]

SummaryThe silyl enol ether derivatives of ketones or esters tethered by a hydrocarbon or ether linkage to the 3-position of a pyridine ring undergo dearomatising nucleophilic attack on the ring once it is activated (as an acylpyridinium species) by the addition of methyl chloroformate. The bicyclic dihydropyridine products are in some cases unstable, but may be isolated after hydrogenation as fused bicyclic piperidines.