Versatile One-Pot Reductive Alkylation of Lactams/Amides via Amide Activation: Application to the Concise Syntheses of Bioactive Alkaloids (±)-Bgugaine, (±)-Coniine, (+)-Preussin, and (−)-Cassine
Direct entry: One‐pot reductivealkylation of lactams/amides with Grignard reagents has been realized vialactam/amideactivation with Tf2O. This method opens a direct entry to α‐alkylated amines. The versatility of the method is illustrated by the concisesyntheses of bioactivealkaloids (±)‐bgugaine, (±)‐coniine, (+)‐preussin, and (−)‐cassine.