Abstract
Trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) catalyzed addition of 1-trimethylsilyloxy-1-phenylethene to N-ethoxycarbonyl-and N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxypiperidines (3d and 3b, respectively) afforded the corresponding ketocarbamates 4a and 4b, in excellent yields. Stereoselective conversion to (±)-norsedamine (7) and (±)-sedamine (8) is described.