The synthesis of chiral 5-methylene pyrrol-2(5H)-ones via photooxygenation of homochiral 2-methylpyrrole derivatives

Abstract

Homochiral 2-methylpyrrole derivatives are synthesized in high yields starting from chiral amines, amino alcohols and amino acid esters. The photooxygenation of these pyrrole derivatives in the presence of a photosensitiser furnishes the corresponding alpha,beta,gamma,delta-unsaturated gamma-lactams as the major products in good yields. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.