Exploiting phosphonate chemistry in metal-mediated dearomatization: Stereoselective construction of functionalized spirolactams from arene ruthenium complexes

An experimentally mild and stereoselective ruthenium-mediated dearomatization procedure is developed in which (arene)Ru(II) complexes are converted to unique and heavily functionalized 2-azaspiro[4.5]decane derivatives. This method has coupled activating and stereodirecting effects of a CpRu(II) fragment with organophosphonate chemistry in order to investigate the heterocyclic ring system.