Synthesis of Nitrogen Bridgehead Bicyclic Heterocycles via Ring-Closure of beta-Ammonio 5-Hexenyl Radicals. 
The 2-(3-methylenepiperidinyl)ethyl radical (6) displays considerable reluctance to ring-closure under conditions which its carbocyclic analog, the 2-(3-methylenecyclohexyl)ethyl radical (2), cyclizes essentially completely.  Molecular mechanics calculations suggest that the increased activation barrier associated with ring-closure of 6 is the result of a higher than expected transition state energy.  A study of the behavior of beta-ammonio-substituted 5-hexenyl radicals, such as the 3,3-dimethyl-3-azonia-5-hexenyl radical (22), reveals that cyclization occurs readily.  Treatment of 1-methyl-1-(2-(phenylselenyl)ethyl)-3-methylenepiperidinium iodide (20) with tributyltin hydride in tert-amyl alcohol yields the bridgehead nitrogen bicyclic heterocycle, 1,5-dimethyl-1-azoniabicyclo[3.2.1]octane iodide (26), in excellent yield and without contamination, thus providing an attractive synthetic route to this hitherto unknown heterocyclic system.