Direct Synthesis of Chiral NH Lactams via Ru-Catalyzed Asymmetric Reductive Amination/Cyclization Cascade of Keto Acids/Esters

Lactams with a stereogenic center adjacent to the N atom have existed in many medicinal agents and bioactive alkaloids. Herein we report a broadly applicable synthesis of enantioenriched NH lactams through a one-pot asymmetric reductive amination/cyclization sequence of easily available keto acids/esters. Such cascade processes alleviate the demand for protecting group manipulations as well as intermediate purification. This strategy is capable of constructing enantioenriched lactams and benzo-lactams of a five-, six-, or seven-membered ring in generally high yield and with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee). Scalable and concise syntheses of key drug intermediates have further displayed the importance of this methodology.