Synthesis of spirocyclic azacycles from the cyclization of furan tethered N-acyliminium ions

The protic and Lewis acid promoted cyclization reactions of tethered furan-4,5-dihydroxypiperid-2-ones, furan-4,5-diacetoxypiperid-2-ones and furan-3,4-diacetoxypyrrolid-2-ones, via their corresponding N-acyliminium ion intermediates, have been studied. In the case of the furan-4,5-dihydroxypiperid- 2-one 2a and its diacetate derivative 2b, macrocyclic products were formed from an initial intermolecular reaction between 2a or 2b, via the nucleophilic C5 furan carbon, and their corresponding N-acyliminium ion intermediates. When the furan C5 position of 2b was blocked by substitution with bromine then TFA or Sc(OTf) ₃ catalysed cyclization reactions gave a spirotricyclic product (a 5-6-6-tricycle) in a highly diastereoselective manner. Cyclization of the analogous C5-Br-furan-pyrrolidone 29 with TFA resulted in a related spirotricyclic (a 5-6-5 tricycle) product. Attempts to prepare an analogous azepine system, a 5-7-5 tricycle, were not successful. Cyclization reactions of the C5-PhS-furan- or C5-phenylsulfonyl-pyrrolidone analogues of 29 with TFA were also not successful.