Efficient methods for the preparation of N-protected 3-phenylthio-2(1H
)dihydropyridinones from 2-piperidone and their Diels-Alder reaction w
ith 2-trimetylsilyloxybutadiene are described. The role of the electro
n-withdrawing N-protecting group in the dienophiles is rationalized in
terms of the lowered energy level in LUMO.