Copper mediated scalemic organolithium reagents in alkaloid syntheses

Scalemic 2-pyrrolidinylcuprates generated via asymmetric deprotonation of N-Boc-pyrrolidine followed by treatment with THF soluble CuCN·2LiCl react with ω-functionalized vinyl halides to afford 2-alkenyl-N-Boc-pyrrolidines. N-Boc deprotection and cyclization via intramolecular N-alkylation generates the pyrrolizidine or indolizidine skeletons. Subsequent functional group manipulation affords enantioenriched (+)-heliotridane, (+)-isoretronecanol, a formal synthesis of (+)-laburnine, (+)-(R)-2,3,5,7a-tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolizine, (R)-1,2,3,5,6,8a-hexahydroindolizine, (+)-ent-δ-coniceine, (+)-tashiromine and (+)-5-epitashiromine.