Improvement of the Synthesis of Chiral Non-Racemic Bicyclic Lactams in the Piperidin-2-ones Series

Abstract
Bicyclic lactams 8 have been prepared in enantiomerically pure form from the corresponding amino esters 5 and glutaric anhydride. The key step is the reduction of imides 7 in methanol. Selective reduction of 8 furnished N-substituted lactams 9.