Reduction of 5-(bromomethyl)-1-pyrrolinium bromides to 2-(bromomethyl)pyrrolidines and their transformation into piperidin-3-ones through an unprecedented ring expansion-oxidation protocol

3,3-Dialkyl-5-(bromomethyl)-1-pyrrolinium bromides, prepared via bromocyclization of N-(2,2-dialkyl-4-pentenylidene)amines by means of bromine in dichloromethane, were reduced to 4,4-dialkyl-2-(bromomethyl)pyrrolidines for the first time using borane dimethyl sulfide in dichloromethane. Furthermore, the latter 2-(bromomethyl)pyrrolidines were transformed into the corresponding piperidin-3-ones through an unprecedented ring expansion-oxidation protocol in dimethylsulfoxide in the presence of potassium carbonate. Reduction of 5,5-dialkylpiperidin-3-ones by means of sodium borohydride in methanol afforded 5,5-dialkyl-3-hydroxypiperidines in good yields.