| Abstract: | N‐Boc‐protected L ‐proline ( 6 ) was converted into the bicyclic lactim ether (8aS)‐6,7,8,8a‐tetrahydro‐1‐methoxypyrrolo1,2‐a]pyrazin‐4(3H)‐one ( 5 ) in four steps (Scheme 1). Deprotonation with LDA or LHMDS and subsequent alkylation resulted in the diastereoisomeric products cis‐ and trans‐ 9 . The diastereoselectivity was mainly dependent on the electrophile. Whereas small alkyl halides gave preferably cis‐ 9 , sterically more‐demanding alkyl halides resulted in cis/trans mixtures. Electrophiles bearing a π‐system favored the trans‐products 9 . Some isolated cis‐ and trans‐lactim ethers 9 were converted to the corresponding diketopiperazines cis‐ and trans‐ 10 by acid hydrolysis. The structures and configurations of several compounds were confirmed by NMR and NOE experiments, as well as by X‐ray crystallography (Figs. 1–4). |
