During the course of a recent CNS program, 1 we were in need of a method to construct a family of 4-(substituted benzyl) piperidines, represented by 1. We required a protocol that would tolerate variations in the aryl portion of the molecule including substituent patterns and heteroatom incorporation (for example, pyridyl). For the piperidine portion, we wished to vary-R, and ultimately to incorporate substituents-X into this ring. The “methylene spacer” ...
