An efficient diastereoselective approach to access trans-5-hydroxy-6-substituted 2-piperidinones skeleton has been developed through one-pot intramolecular tandem process of O-benzyl protected aldimine 11 with Grignard reagents. The diastereoselectivity of substitution at C-6 position of 2-piperidinone was controlled by alpha-benzyloxy group. In addition, the utility of this straightforward cascade process is demonstrated by the asymmetric syntheses of (+)-L-733, 060 (2) and its 2-substituted analogue 3, as well as (+)-CP-122721 (5). (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier Ltd.