Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric 6-endo cyclization of dienamides with substituent-driven activation.

Chiral 2-piperidinone compounds with various C-6 substituents were successfully synthesized via a Pd-catalyzed asymmetric 6-endo cyclization of dienamides, which were evidently activated by both N-p-toluenesulfonyl and C-3 ester substituents.