Abstract: The asymmetric synthesis of 2-alkyl (aryl)-2, 3-dihydro-4-pyridones 3 by addition of various Grignard reagents to chiral 1-acyl-4-methoxypyridinium salts was studied in detail. Chiral pyridinium salts formed from 4-methoxy-3-(triisopropylsily1) pyridine (20, and (-)-8- arylmenthyl chloroformates, or (-)-trans-2-(a-cumyl) cyclohexyl chloroformate, gave the best results, with diastereomeric selectivities ranging from 60 to 94%. When 4-methoxy-3-( ...