Single diastereomers of polyhydroxylated 9-Oxa-1-azabicyclo[4.2.1]nonanes from intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of ω-unsaturated nitrones

8-Benzyloxymethyl-3,4,5-tribenzoyloxy-9-oxa-1-azabicyclo[4.2.1]nonane has been prepared as the single diastereoisomer 8 from an intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition involving 2-(benzyloxy)acetaldehyde and ?-unsaturated hydroxylamine 7 derived from methyl a-D-glucopyranoside. The analogous 8-methoxycarbonyl 9-oxa-1-azabicyclo[4.2.1]nonane was afforded in a similar manner, from methyl D-galactopyranoside and methyl glyoxylate, as a 3:1 mixture of diastereoisomers 15 and 16. When conducted in achiral ionic liquid 17 this ratio increased to 8:1, and in chiral ionic liquid 18, compound 15 was formed exclusively. © 2006 American Chemical Society.