Highly Stereoselective 7-Endo-Trig/Ring Contraction Cascade To Construct Pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoline Derivatives

With the cooperation of Cram's phenonium ion, a novel cascade reaction was illustrated to construct pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinolines as a sole diastereoisomer in good to excellent yields. Preliminary mechanistic studies revealed that the gamma-lactam ring and electron-rich arene are important driving forces for ring contraction.