nonracemic lactams 2 and 3, the former prepared by cyclocondensation of (R)-phenylglycinol with a racemic gamma-substituted delta-oxoester in a process that involves a dynamic kinetic resolution and the latter by a subsequent equilibration, provides access to enantiopure cis- and trans-3,5-disubstituted piperidines. The usefulness of the approach is illustrated with the synthesis of the alkaloids 20S- and
outcome of the alkylation of a variety of phenylglycinol-derived oxazolopiperidone lactams is studied. The influence of the configuration of the C-8a stereocenter and the effect of the substituents at the C-8 and C-8a positions on the stereoselectivity of the reaction are discussed. The synthetic utility of these alkylation reactions is illustrated with the synthesis of cis and trans 3,5-disubstituted, 2