Generation of 6-(Trifluoromethyl)-4,5-dihydro-2(3H)-pyridone and the Application to Synthesis of Some Fused Nitrogen Heterocycles Carrying a Trifluoromethyl Group on the Bridgehead Position via Radical Cyclization of Dihydropyridones

Staudinger/aza-Wittig reaction of 6,6,6-trifluoro-5-oxohexanoyl azide with PPh(3) or PBu(3) was examined. A reactive intermediate acyl imine 1 was trapped by methanol. Without nucleophile, isomerized enamide form 3 was obtained. N-Iodobenzoylation and N-haloalkylation of 3 and following radical cyclization via the 5-exo or 6-exo mode gave benzoindolizidinone, indolizidinone, and quinolizidinone derivatives 10-14, which have a trifluoromethyl group at the bridgehead position adjacent to nitrogen. Although LiAlH(4) reduction of 10 and 11 gave a mixture of saturated benzoindolizidine 15 and amino alcohol 16, reduction with BH(3)/THF selectively gave the desired 15 and indolizidine 17 from 13.