Enantiopure N-acyldihydropyridones as synthetic intermediates: asymmetric synthesis of (-)-slaframine.

[formula: see text] An asymmetric synthesis of (-)-slaframine and N-acetylslaframine has been accomplished starting from an enantiopure dihydropyridone building block. The oxygen-carbon bond at C-1 was incorporated with complete stereoselectivity by using an efficient phenylselenocyclocarbamation reaction.