An intramolecular Mannich reaction, involving various achiral aldehydes tog
ether with an alpha -chiral amine is employed as the key step for a stereoc
ontrolled synthesis of highly substituted piperidine systems. Accordingly,
12 new piperidines bearing four asymmetric centers were prepared in six ste
ps from commercial ketones. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.