Continuing our search for better diastereoselectivity, and to solve some solubility restrictions encountered with the pre-formed salt strategy, a series of experiments were carried out using a modification of Taber’s protocol for the copper-mediated conjugate addition of lithiated 2-methylpyridines to enones.2e A solution of enaminone 6 in THF was added to the Gilman cuprate 8, followed in most cases by addition of a Lewis acid (Scheme 3). When the Lewis acid was not present the addition reaction did not occur, regardless of the amount of organometallic used. When BF3·OEt2 was added, the reaction proceeded only when 4.0 equiv of the Lewis acid were employed; however, no selectivity was observed at C-7. Interestingly, when TMSCl was used as the Lewis acid, the best selectivity of all instances was found, dr = 3.7:1. Nevertheless, this modest result seemed to be dependent on the nature of the copper salt employed.