The new six-membered-ring (2R)-10a-homobornane-10a,2-sultam (À)-3a was synthesized and its X-ray structural analysis was compared with that of the novel structure of the five-membered-ring (2R)-bornane-10,2sultam analogues (À)-1a,b as well as with that already published for the six-membered-ring trans-decalin-like sultam 4a. Based on DN** density-function calculations and X-ray crystallographic studies of the N-methylated analogues (À)-1e and 4b and by comparing with the conformation of the N-fluoro derivatives (À)-1c and ()-1d, the anomeric stabilization was estimated to be smaller than the 2.0 ± 2.5 kcal/mol earlier suggested. The direction of pyramidalization is rationalized in terms of H-bond and steric and electronic interactions and extended to the known toluenesultam derivatives 10a ± c. 2 ) For N lp through-bond and through-space directing interactions, initially suggested by M¸ller and Eschenmoser, see [10a]. For nonexhaustive more recent examples, see [10b ± g]. Cieplak also proposed a hyperconjugative influence of the N lp on the incipient bond-formation through the intermediacy of a sp 2 atom, see Schemes 85 and 86 as well as reference 105 in [11]. More recently, King et al. also suggested an anomeric stabilization [12a]. We now wish to report the synthesis of the tricyclic six-membered-ring sultam (À)-3a as well as its X-ray-structural analysis for comparison with those of (À)-1a,b,e and the racemic six-membered-ring trans-decalin-like sultams 4a,b [12a].Results. ± The commercially available ()-camphorsulfonyl chloride 5 was treated with CH 2 N 2 in Et 2 O to afford, after thermal treatment, the known unsaturated C 11 ketone ()-6 in 84% yield according to a previously reported procedure [13]. Further protection of the carbonyl moiety (ethylene glycol, TsOH, THF; 79% yield) followed by hydroboration (9-BBN, THF, 208, then NaOH, H 2 O 2 ; 90% yield) furnished the known primary alcohol (À)-7a [14] 3 ). This intermediate was then converted to the corresponding crude unreported mesylate (À)-7b (MsCl, CH 2 Cl 2 , Et 3 N, 08; 95% yield [16]) prior to an S N 2 displacement (AcSK, DMSO, 458; 96% yield [17]) to afford the thioacetate (À)-7c. Oxidation (30% H 2 O 2 solution, 85%, AcOH solution [18]), with concomitant deprotection, delivered the new sulfonic acid ()-8a in 92% isolated yield. A route similar to that earlier published by Oppolzer et al.[1] was then followed for the preparation of (À)-3a.Thus, treatment with SOCl 2 at 1008 [19] furnished the sulfonyl chloride (À)-8b in 63% yield 4 ). Rather than addition of gaseous NH 3 under anhydrous conditions [21], we preferred, for technical reasons, the NH 4 OH procedure initially reported by Sutherland and co-workers [22] and recently re-actualized by Davis et al. [19] and Capet et al. [23]. The new sulfonamide ()-8c, thus obtained in 69% yield, was then cyclized under basic conditions (NaOMe, MeOH [1]) to furnish the sulfonimine (À)-9 in 75% yield 5 ).Helvetica Chimica Acta ± Vol. 85 (2002) 1974 3 ) According to [15], a lower chemical yield was obtaine...