A Novel Short Approach to (Z)-Pulchellalactam through Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Atom-Transfer Radical Cyclization of 1-Isopropylprop-2-enyl Dichloroacetate

A new, five-step route to ( Z)-pulchellalactam, a CD45 protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, is presented. Key steps are the copper(I) chloride-bipyridyl catalyzed atom-transfer radical cyclization- of an appropriate allyl α,α-dichloroacetate and the subsequent dehydrochlorination/prototropic rearrangement of the resulting dichlorolactone.