A Tandem Michael-SN2-Mediated General Route to Six-Membered Heterocycles and Carbocycles

A powerful, flexible, and stereoselective general strategy for the construction of chirally pure six-membered heterocycles and carbocycles by utilizing a tandem Michael-S(N)2 sequence is described. The strategy avoids the tedious synthesis of separate starting materials prior to cyclization. The expedient and general strategy, which is virtually untapped until now, will enrich the arsenal of synthetic chemists for the preparation of cyclic compounds.