Enaminones: versatile intermediates for natural product synthesis
Efforts in our laboratories to devise a general approach to the synthesis of alkaloids focus on the versatile reactivity of enaminones and related compounds containing the structural unit N-CaC-Z (Za COR, CO2R, CN, NO2 ,S O 2Ar, etc.). This lecture presents an overview of our research with these useful building blocks. Themes to be elaborated include chemo- selectivity and diastereoselectivity in reactions of enaminones, and the challenge of controlling absolute stereochemistry.