2,3-Dihydropyridin-4(1H)-ones and 3-Aminocyclohex-2-enones: Synthesis, Functionalization, and Applications to Alkaloid Synthesis

This account summarizes our recent investigations into the chemistry of 2,3-dihydropyridin-4(1H)-ones and 3-aminocyclohex-2-enones (enaminones). These enaminones are exceptionally versatile chemical scaffolds that serve as valuable intermediates in the synthesis of indolizidine and quinolizidine alkaloids and other bioactive compounds. Since we reported our first method for constructing enaminones in 2006, we have developed a number of additional approaches to the synthesis and derivatization of enaminones and we have explored their applications in natural product synthesis.