Surprising Formation of Highly Substituted Azulenes on Thermolysis of 4,5,6,7,8‐Pentamethyl‐2H‐cyclohepta[b]furan‐2‐one and Heptalene Formation with the New Azulenes

Heating of 4,5,6,7,8‐pentamethyl‐2H‐cyclohepta[b]furan‐2‐one ( 1a ) in decalin at temperatures >170° leads to the development of a blue color, typical for azulenes. It belongs, indeed, to two formed azulenes, namely 4,5,6,7,8‐pentamethyl‐2‐(2,3,4,5,6‐pentamethylphenyl)azulene ( 4a ) and 4,5,6,7,8‐pentamethylazulene ( 5a ) (cf. Scheme 2 and Table 1). As a third product, 4,5,6,7‐tetramethyl‐2‐(2,3,4,5,6‐pentamethylphenyl)‐1H‐indene ( 6a ) is also found in the reaction mixture. Neither 4,6,8‐trimethyl‐2H‐cyclohepta[b]furan‐2‐one ( 1b ) nor 2H‐cyclohepta[b]furan‐2‐one ( 1c ) exhibit, on heating, such reactivity. However, heating of mixtures 1a / 1b or 1a / 1c results in the formation of crossed azulenes, namely 4,6,8‐trimethyl‐2‐(2,3,4,5,6‐pentamethylphenyl)azulene ( 4ba ) and 2‐(2,3,4,5,6‐pentamethylphenyl)azulene ( 4ca ), respectively (cf. Scheme 3). The formation of small amounts of 4,6,8‐trimethylazulene ( 5ba ) and azulene ( 5ca ), respectively, besides 1H‐indene 6a is also observed. The observed product types speak for an [8+2]‐cycloaddition reaction between two molecules of 1a or between 1b and 1c , respectively, with 1a , whereby 1a plays in the latter two cases the part of the two‐atom component (cf. Figs. 5 – 7 and Schemes 4 – 6). Strain release, due to the five adjacent Me groups in 1a , in the [8+2]‐cycloaddition step seems to be the driving force for these transformations (cf. Table 3), which are further promoted by the consecutive loss of two molecules of CO₂ and concomitant formation of the 10π‐electron system of the azulenes. The new azulenes react with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (ADM) to form the corresponding dimethyl heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates 20 , 22 , and 24 (cf. Scheme 7), which give thermally or photochemically the corresponding double‐bond‐shifted (DBS) isomers 20′ , 22′ , and 24′ , respectively. The five adjacent Me groups in 20 / 20′ and 24 / 24′ exert a certain buttressing effect, whereby their thermal DBS process is distinctly retarded in comparison to 22 / 22′ , which carry `isolated' Me groups at C(6), C(8), and C(10). This view is supported by X‐ray crystal‐structure analyses of 22 and 24 (cf. Fig. 8 and Table 5).     

Ru-Catalyzed Heptalene Formation from Azulenes and Dimethyl Acetylenedicarboxylate

It is shown that azulenes react with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (ADM) in solvents such as toluene, dioxan, or MeCN in the presence of 2 mol-% [RuH₂(PPh₃)₄] already at temperatures as low as 100° and lead to the formation of the corresponding heptalene-1,2-dicarboxylates in excellent yields (Tables 1 and 2). The Ru-catalyzed reaction of ADM with 1-(tert-butyl)-4,6,8-trimethylazulene ( 31 ) takes place even at room temperature, yielding the primary tricyclic addition product 32 and its thermal retro-Diels-Alder product dimethyl 4,6,8-trimethylazulene-1,2-dicarboxylate ( 21 ; Scheme 4). At 100° in MeCN, 32 yields 90% of 21 and only 10% of the corresponding heptalene. These observations demonstrate that [RuH₂(PPh₃)₄] catalyzes the first step of the thermal formation of heptalenes from azulenes and ADM which occurs in apolar solvents such as tetralin or decalin at temperatures > 180° (cf. Scheme 1).     

Reaction of Hydroxymethyl- and Alkyl-Substituted Azulenes with Manganese Dioxide

It is shown that the 2-(hydroxymethyl)-1-methylazulenes 6 are being oxidized by activated MnO₂ in CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature to the corresponding azulene-1,2-dicarbaldehydes 7 (Scheme 2). Extension of the MnO₂ oxidation reaction to 1-methyl- and/or 3-methyl-substituted azulenes led to the formation of the corresponding azulene-1-carbaldehydes in excellent yields (Scheme 3). The reaction of unsymmetrically substituted 1,3-dimethyl-azulenes (cf. 15 in Scheme 4) with MnO₂ shows only little chemoselectivity. However, the observed ratio of the formed constitutionally isometric azulene-1-carbaldehydes is in agreement with the size of the orbital coefficients in the HOMO of the azulenes. The reaction of guaiazulene ( 18 ) with MnO₂ in dioxane/H₂O at room temperature gave mainly the expected carbaldehyde 19 . However, it was accompanied by the azulene-diones 20 and 21 (Scheme 5). The precursor of the demethylated compound 20 is the carbaldehyde 19 . Similarly, the MnO₂ reaction of 7-isopropyl-4-methyalazulene ( 22 ) as well as of 4,6,8-trimethylazulene ( 24 ) led to the formation of a mixture of the corresponding azulene-1,5-diones and azulene-1,7-diones 20 / 23 and 25 / 26 , respectively, in decent yields (Schemes 6 and 7). No MnO₂ reaction was observed with 5,7-dimethylazulene.     

Radical Arylation Reactions of 4, 6, 8-Trimethylazulene

The synthesis of 1- and 2-aryl-substituted (aryl = Ph, 4-NO₂? C₆H₄, and 4-MeO? C₆H₄) 4, 6, 8-trimethylazulenes ( 4 and 3 , respectively) in moderate yields by direct arylation of 4, 6, 8-trimethylazulene ( 8 ) with the corresponding arylhydrazines 13 in the presence of Cu^IIions in pyridine (see Scheme 4) as well as with 4-MeO? C₆H₄Pb(OAc)₃ ( 16 ) in CF₃COOH (see Scheme 5) is described. With 13 , also small amounts of 1, 2- and 1, 3-diarylated azulenes (see 14 and 15 , respectively, in Scheme 4) are formed. The 4-methoxyphenylation of 8 with 16 yielded also the 1, 1′-biazulene 17 in minor amounts (see Scheme 5). 4, 6, 8-Trimethyl-2-phenylazulene ( 3a ) was also obtained as the sole product in moderate yields by the reaction of sodium phenylclopentadienide ( 1a ) with 2, 4, 6-trimethylpyrylium tetrafluoroborate ( 2 ) in THF (Scheme 1). The attempted phenylation of 8 as well as of azulene ( 9 ) itself with N-nitroso-N-phenylacetamide ( 10 ) led only to the formation of the corresponding 1-(phenylazo)-substituted azulenes 12 and 11 , respectively (Scheme 3).     

Thermal and Ru-catalyzed Reactions of Styryl-Substituted Azulenes with Dimethyl Acetylenedicarboxylate

The thermal reaction of 1-[(E)-styrl]azulenes with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (ADM) in decalin at 190–200° does not lead to the formation fo the corresponding heptalene-1,2-dicarboxylates (Scheme 2). Main products are the corresponding azulene-1,2-dicarboxylates (see 4 and 9 ), accompanied by the benzanellated azulenes trans- 10a and trans- 11 , respectively. The latter compounds are formed by a Diels-Alder reaction of the starting azulenes and ADM, followed by an ene reaction with ADM (cf. Scheme 3). The [RuH₂(PPh₃)₄]-catalyzed reaction of 4,6,8-trimethyl-1-[(E)-4-R-styryl]azulenes (R=H, MeO, Cl; Scheme 4) with ADM in MeCN at 110° yields again the azulene-1,2-dicarboxylates as main products. However, in this case, the corresponding heptalene-1,2-dicarboxylates are also formed in small amounts (3–5%; Scheme 4). The benzanellated azulenes trans- 10a and trans- 10b are also found in small amounts (2–3%) in the reaction mixture. ADM Addition products at C(3) of the azulene ring as well as at C(2) of the styryl moiety are also observed in minor amounts (1–3%). Similar results are obtained in the [RuH₂(PPh₃)₄]-catalyzed reaction of 3-[(E)-styryl]guaiazulene ((E)- 8 ; Scheme 5) with ADM in MeCN. However, in this case, no heptalene formation is observed, and the amount of the ADM-addition products at C(2) of the styryl group is remarkably increased (29%). That the substitutent pattern at the seven-membered ring of (E)- 8 is not responsible for the failure of heptalene formation is demonstrated by the Ru-catalyzed reaction of 7-isopropyl-4-methyl-1-[(E)-styryl]azulene ((E)- 23 ; Scheme 11) with ADM in MeCN, yielding the corresponding heptalene-1,2-dicarboxylate (E)- 26 (10%). Again, the main product is the corresponding azulene-1,2-dicarboxylate 25 (20%). Reaction of 4,6,8-trimethyl-2-[(E)-styryl]azulene ((E)- 27 ; Scheme 12) and ADM yields the heptalene-dicarboxylates (E)- 30A / B , purely thermally in decalin (28%) as well as Ru-catalyzed in MeCN (40%). Whereas only small amounts of the azulene-1,2-dicarboxylate 8 (1 and 5%, respectively) are formed, the corresponding benzanellated azulene trans- 29 ist found to be the second main product (21 and 10%, respectively) under both reaction conditions. The thermal reaction yields also the benzanellated azulene 28 which is not found in the catalyzed variant of the reaction. Heptalene-1,2-dicarboxylates are also formed from 4-[(E)-styryl]azulenes (e.g. (E)- 33 and (E)- 34 ; Scheme 14) and ADM at 180–190° in decalin and at 110° in MeCN by [RuH₂(PPh₃)₄] catalysis. The yields (30%) are much better in the catalyzed reaction. The formation of by-products (e.g. 39–41 ; Scheme 14) in small amounts (0.5–5%) in the Ru-catalyzed reactions allows to understand better the reactivity of zwitterions (e.g. 42 ) and their triyclic follow-up products (e.g. 43 ) built from azulenes and ADM (cf. Scheme 15).     

Eine einfache Allencarbonsäureester-Synthese mittels der Wittig-Reaktion

A Simple Synthesis of Alkyl Allenecarboxylates (Allenic Esters) by the Wittig-Reaction A simple one-pot synthesis of variously substituted α-allenic esters ( 7–23 , cf. Scheme 4) is described. Either of the phosphonium salts 1 and 2 or the phosphoranes 3–6 in methylene chloride (or acetonitrile) when treated with acid chlorides at room temperature in the presence of triethylamine give the corresponding allenic compounds in fairly good yields (cf. Tables 3a and 3b). This procedure shows for the first time, that the Wittig-reaction with acid chlorides as starting material can also be used for the synthesis of 2-H-substituted allenic esters ( 7–13 ; for numbering see Scheme 7). The deuterium labeled compounds 26–31 (cf. Scheme 7) are prepared in the same manner. The course of the reaction involves an in situ generation of ketenes which are trapped by the resonance stabilized phosphonium ylides. The thus formed betains readily decompose, already at room temperature, to the anticipated allenes by the well known Wittig-reaction.     

Synthesis of Benz[a]azulenes Substituted at the Benzo Ring

It is shown that the thermal electrocyclic ring-closure reaction of 1,2-di[(E)-prop-1-enyl]benzene to yield 2,3-dimethylnaphthalene (cf. Scheme 1) [10] can successfully be applied also to the synthesis of benz[a]azulenes (cf. Schemes 2 and 3). Starting materials are methyl 4,6,8-trimethylazulen-2-yl ketone ( 6 ) and the corresponding 2-carbaldehyde 5 , which, in a Horner-Emmons reaction, are transformed into the (azulen-2-yl)-acrylates (E)- 8 and (E)- 7 , respectively. Vilsmeier formylation of these compounds, followed by the Horner-Emmons reaction leads to the formation of the bisacrylates (E,E)- 11 and (E,E)- 12 , respectively. In an alternative reaction, (E)- 8 , on treatment with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (ADM) in the presence of [RuH₂(PPh₃)₄], can be transformed into the methoxycarbonyl-substituted bisacrylates (E,E)- and (E,Z)- 17 . All three bisacrylates, on heating at 180–190° in p-cymene, undergo cyclization to yield the corresponding dihydrobenz[a]azulenes 13 , 14 , and 18 , respectively, which could easily be dehydrogenated on heating in the presence of Pd/C. The new benz[a]azulenes 15 , 16 , and 19 are fully characterized.     

New Heptalenes Substituted with Extended π-Systems

The synthesis of π-substituted heptalenecarboxylates or -dicarboxylates, starting with the easily available dimethyl 9-isopropyl-1, 6-dimethylheptalene-4, 5-dicarboxylate ( 2b ), are described. Treatment of 2b with t-BuOK and C₂Cl₆ at ?78° leads to the chemoselective introduction of a Cl substituent in Me-C(1) (see 5b in Scheme 1). Formation of the corresponding triphenylphosphonium salt 7b via the iodide 6b (Scheme 2) allowed a Wittig reaction with cinnamaldehyde in the two-phase system CH₂Cl₂/2N NaOH. Transformation of the 4, 5-dicar-boxylate of 2b into the corresponding pseudo-ester 10b allowed the selective reduction of the carbonyl function at C(4) with DIBAH to yield the corresponding 4-carbaldehyde 11b (Scheme 3). Wittig reaction of 11b with (benzyl) triphenylphosphonium bromide led to the introduction of the 4-phenylbuta-1, 3-dienyl substituent at C(4). The combination of both Wittig reactions led to the synthesis of the 1, 4-bis(4-phenylbuta-1, 3-dienyl)-substituted heptalene-5-carboxylate (all-E)- 17b (Scheme 5). In a similar manner, by applying a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction, followed by the Wittig reaction, the donor-acceptor substituted heptalene-5-carboxylate (E;E)- 22b was synthesized (Scheme7). Most of these new heptalenes are in solution, at room temperature, in thermal equilibrium with their double-bond shifted (DBS) isomers. In the case of (all-E)- 17b and (E;E)- 22b , irradiation of the thermal equilibrium mixture with light of λ -(439 ± 10) nm led to a strong preponderance ( > 90%) of the DBS isomers 17a and (E;E)- 22a , respectively (Schemes 6 and 7). Heating of the photo-mixtures at 40° re-established quickly the thermal equilibrium mixtures. Heptalenes-carboxylates (all-E)- 17a and (E;E)- 22a which represent the off-state of a 1,4-conjugative switch (CS) system show typical heptalene UV/VIS spectra with a bathochromically shifted heptalene band III and comparably weak heptalene bands II and I which appear only as shoulders (Figs. 4 and 5). In contrast, the DBS isomers (all-E)- 17b and (all-E)- 22b , equivalent to the on-state of a 1,4-CS system, exhibit extremely intense heptalene bands I and, possibly, II which appear as a broad absorption band at 440 and 445 nm, respectively, thus indicating that the CSs (all-E)- 17a ?(all-E)- 17b and (E;E)- 22a ?(E;E)- 22b are perfectly working.     

An Improved and Simplified Synthesis of 4-Styrylazulenes

It is shown that 4- or 8-[(E)-styryl]-substituted azulenes can easily be prepared from 4- or 8-methylazulenes in the presence of potassium tert-butoxide (t-BuOK) with the corresponding benzaldehydes in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at −5 to 25° (see Schemes 1 and 2). 6-(tert-Butyl)-4,8-dimethylazulene ( 5 ) with both Me groups in reactive positions leads to the formation of a mixture of the mono- and distyryl-substituted azulenes 6 and 7 , respectively (Scheme 3). Vilsmeier formylation of 6 results in the formation of 3 : 2 mixture of the azulene-carbaldehydes 8a and 8b , which can be separated by chromatography on silica gel. Reduction of 8a and 8b with NaBH₄ in trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)/CH₂Cl₂ gives the 1-methyl forms 9a and 9b , respectively, in good yields (Scheme 4). The latter two azulenes are not separable on silica gel.     

Synthesis of Polyalkylphenyl Prop‐2‐ynoates and Their Flash Vacuum Pyrolysis to Polyalkylcyclohepta[b]furan‐2(2H)‐ones

A new method for the smooth and highly efficient preparation of polyalkylated aryl propiolates has been developed. It is based on the formation of the corresponding aryl carbonochloridates (cf. Scheme 1 and Table 1) that react with sodium (or lithium) propiolate in THF at 25 – 65°, with intermediate generation of the mixed anhydrides of the arylcarbonic acids and prop‐2‐ynoic acid, which then decompose almost quantitatively into CO₂ and the aryl propiolates (cf. Scheme 11). This procedure is superior to the transformation of propynoic acid into its difficult‐to‐handle acid chloride, which is then reacted with sodium (or lithium) arenolates. A number of the polyalkylated aryl propiolates were subjected to flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP) at 600 – 650° and 10⁻² Torr which led to the formation of the corresponding cyclohepta[b]furan‐2(2H)‐ones in average yields of 25 – 45% (cf. Scheme 14). It has further been found in pilot experiments that the polyalkylated cyclohepta[b]furan‐2(2H)‐ones react with 1‐(pyrrolidin‐1‐yl)cyclohexene in toluene at 120 – 130° to yield the corresponding 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydrobenz[a]azulenes, which become, with the growing number of Me groups at the seven‐membered ring, more and more sensitive to oxidative destruction by air (cf. Scheme 15).     

Formation of Heptaleno[1,2-c]furans and Heptaleno[1,2-c]furanones

The dehydrogenation reaction of the heptalene-4,5-dimethanols 4a and 4d , which do not undergo the double-bond-shift (DBS) process at ambient temperature, with basic MnO₂ in CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature, leads to the formation of the corresponding heptaleno[1,2-c]furans 6a and 6d , respectively, as well as to the corresponding heptaleno[1,2-c]furan-3-ones 7a and 7d , respectively (cf. Scheme 2 and 8). The formation of both product types necessarily involves a DBS process (cf. Scheme 7). The dehydrogenation reaction of the DBS isomer of 4a , i.e., 5a , with MnO₂ in CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature results, in addition to 6a and 7a , in the formation of the heptaleno[1,2-c]-furan-1-one 8a and, in small amounts, of the heptalene-4,5-dicarbaldehyde 9a (cf. Scheme 3). The benzo[a]heptalene-6,7-dimethanol 4c with a fixed position of the C?C bonds of the heptalene skeleton, on dehydrogenation with MnO₂ in CH₂Cl₂, gives only the corresponding furanone 11b (Scheme 4). By [²H₂]-labelling of the methanol function at C(7), it could be shown that the furanone formation takes place at the stage of the corresponding lactol [3-²H₂]- 15b (cf. Scheme 6). Heptalene-1,2-dimethanols 4c and 4e , which are, at room temperature, in thermal equilibrium with their corresponding DBS forms 5c and 5e , respectively, are dehydrogenated by MnO₂ in CH₂Cl₂ to give the corresponding heptaleno[1,2-c]furans 6c and 6e as well as the heptaleno[1,2-c]furan-3-ones 7c and 7e and, again, in small amounts, the heptaleno[1,2-c]furan-1-ones 8c and 8e , respectively (cf. Scheme 8). Therefore, it seems that the heptalene-1,2-dimethanols are responsible for the formation of the furan-1-ones (cf. Scheme 7). The methylenation of the furan-3-ones 7a and 7e with Tebbe's reagent leads to the formation of the 3-methyl-substituted heptaleno[1,2-c]furans 23a and 23e , respectively (cf. Scheme 9). The heptaleno[1,2-c]furans 6a, 6d , and 23a can be resolved into their antipodes on a Chiralcel OD column. The (P)-configuration is assigned to the heptaleno[1,2-c]furans showing a negative Cotton effect at ca. 320 nm in the CD spectrum in hexane (cf. Figs. 3–5 as well as Table 7). The (P)-configuration of (–)- 6a is correlated with the established (P)-configuration of the dimethanol (–)- 5a via dehydrogenation with MnO₂. The degree of twisting of the heptalene skeleton of 6 and 23 is determined by the Me-substitution pattern (cf. Table 9). The larger the heptalene gauche torsion angles are, the more hypsochromically shifted is the heptalene absorption band above 300 nm (cf. Table 7 and 8, as well as Figs. 6–9).     

Zur Photochemie von 1, 2-Benzisoxazolen in stark saurer Lösung

On the Photochemistry of 1, 2-Benzisoxazoles in Strongly Acidic Solution The 1, 2-benzisoxazoles 1a, 1b and 1d when dissolved in 96% sulfuric acid and irradiated through a quartz filter with a mercury high-presure lamp yield, after work-up, mixtures of 2, 5- and 2, 3-dihydroxy-acylbenzenes ( 2 and 3 , respectively; cf. Schemes 1 and 3 and Table 1). Irradiation of 3, 5-dimethyl-1, 2-benzisoxazole ( 1c ) in 96% sulfuric acid leads to the formation of 2, 3-dihydroxy-5-methyl-acetophenone ( 3c ) in only 6% yield (cf. Table 1). It is assumed that the 1, 2-benzisoxazolium ions react in the excited singlet state by heterolytic cleavage of the N, O-bond to yield the corresponding aryl oxenium ions 7 in the singlet ground state (see Scheme 5). Reaction of 7 with HSO ₄ ? ions, present in 96% sulfuric acid, yields, after hydrolysis, the dihydroxy compounds 2 and 3 . Photolysis of 3-methyl-1, 2-benzisoxazole ( 1b ) in diluted sulfuric acid (0,5 to 9 M ) in methanol or water leads only to the formation of 2-amino-phenol ( 6 ; see Scheme 3), presumable via photo-isomerization of 1b to 2-methylbenzoxazole ( 5b ) which then is hydrolyzed to give 6 .     

New Products from the Heptalene‐Forming Reaction of Azulenes and Acetylenedicarboxylates in Polar Media

A number of azulenes 1 , in particular those with π‐substituents at C(6) such as phenyl, 3,5‐dimethylphenyl, and 4‐biphenyl, have been reacted with 3 mol‐equiv. of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (ADM) in MeCN at 110° (cf. Scheme 1). Main products had been, in all cases, the corresponding heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates 2 . However, a whole number of side products, mainly rearranged (1+2)‐adducts with two molecules of ADM, in amounts of 0.2–9% were also isolated and characterized (cf. Scheme 2). The 2a,8a‐dihydro‐3,4‐ethenoazulene‐1,2‐dicarboxylates 14 , formed by energetically favorable ring closure from the solvent‐stabilized zwitterions 15 , resulting from bond heterolysis in the primary cycloadducts 12 (cf. Scheme 3), have been mechanistically identified as the pivotal intermediates responsible for the formation of all side product (cf. Schemes 5, 9, 12, and 13). Deuterium‐labeling experiments were in agreement with the proposed mechanisms, indicating that sigmatropic [1,5s]‐H shifts in 14 (cf. Scheme 6) as well as isoconjugate [1,4s]‐H shifts in resonance‐stabilized zwitterions of type 21 (cf. Scheme 9) are the crucial steps for side‐product formation. It is postulated that a concluding antarafacial 8e‐dyotropic rearrangement is responsible for the appearance of the 2,4a‐dihydrophenanthrene‐tetracarboxylates of type trans‐ 6 (cf. Scheme 9) in the reaction mixtures, which further rearrange thermally by a not fully understood mechanism into the isomeric tetracarboxylates 7 (cf. Schemes 10 and 11). Most surprising is the presence of a small amount (0.3–1%) of the azulene‐4,5,7,8‐tetracarboxylate 9 in the reaction mixture of azulene 1a and ADM. It is proposed that the formation of 9 is the result of a [1,5s]‐C shift in the spiro‐linked intermediates 24 , which, after prototropic shift and take‐up of a third molecule of ADM, disintegrate by a retro‐Diels‐Alder reaction into 9 and the phthalic diesters 30 (cf. Scheme 12). The UV/VIS spectra of the π‐substituted heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates 2d – 2f and their double‐bond shifted (DBS) forms 2d – 2f (cf. Table 4 and Figs. 9–12) exhibit in comparison with the heptalene‐dicarboxylates 2a and 2′a , carrying a t‐Bu group at C(8), only marginal differences, which are mainly found in the relative intensity and position of heptalene bands II and III .     

New Optically Active 2H‐Azirin‐3‐amines as Synthons for Enantiomerically Pure 2,2‐Disubstituted Glycines: Synthesis of Synthons for Tyr(2Me) and Dopa(2Me), and Their Incorporation into Dipeptides

The synthesis of novel unsymmetrically 2,2‐disubstituted 2H‐azirin‐3‐amines with chiral auxiliary amino groups is described. Chromatographic separation of the mixture of diastereoisomers yielded (1′R,2S)‐ 2a , b and (1′R,2R)‐ 2a , b (c.f. Scheme 1 and Table 1), which are synthons for (S)‐ and (R)‐2‐methyltyrosine and 2‐methyl‐3′,4′‐dihydroxyphenylalanine. Another new synthon 2c , i.e., a synthon for 2‐(azidomethyl)alanine, was prepared but could not be separated into its pure diastereoisomers. The reaction of 2 with thiobenzoic acid, benzoic acid, and the amino acid Fmoc‐Val‐OH yielded the monothiodiamides 11 , the diamides 12 (cf. Scheme 3 and Table 3), and the dipeptides 13 (cf. Scheme 4 and Table 4), respectively. From 13 , each protecting group was removed selectively under standard conditions (cf. Schemes 5–7 and Tables 5–6). The configuration at C(2) of the amino acid derivatives (1R,1′R)‐ 11a , (1R,1′R)‐ 11b , (1S,1′R)‐ 12b , and (1R,1′R)‐ 12b was determined by X‐ray crystallography relative to the known configuration of the chiral auxiliary group.     

Synthesis of Unique Ceramides and Cerebrosides Occurring in Human Epidermis

The sphingolipids 1a , b and 2a , b which play important roles in epidermal barrier function, were synthesized by N-acylation of C₁₈-sphingosine 3 and 1-O-glucosylated C₁₈-sphingosine 6 , respectively, with ω-acyloxy-substituted fatty acids 4 and 5 (Scheme 1). These fatty acids were obtained from ω-hydroxy-substituted fatty acids 8 and 9 by esterification with linoleic acid ( 7 ). The C₃₄-fatty acid 8 was prepared as follows: C₂₅-Compound 18 was obtained by means of a Wittig reaction of C₁₃-aldehyde 13 with C₁₂-phosphonium salt 15 or of C₁₂-aldehyde 24 with C₁₃-phosphonium salt 21 , respectively, and subseqent hydrogenation and O-deprotection (Scheme 2). Alternatively, 8 was prepared via 30 by copper-catalyzed coupling of C₁₃-alkyl halide 19 with the Grignard reagent derived from C₁₂-alkyl bromide 14 (Scheme 2). Oxidation of 18 to aldehyde 39 and Wittig reaction with C₉-phosphonium salt 41 furnished the desired ω-hydroxy-substituted fatty acid 8 , after O-deprotection (Scheme 3). Similarly, Wittig reaction of C₁₁-phosphonium salt 22 with C₁₂-aldehyde 24 furnished C₂₃-aldehyde 40 , after hydrogenation, O-deprotection, and oxidation; Wittig reaction with compound 41 and subsequent deprotection afforded the desired C₃₂-fatty and 9 (Scheme 3). an alternative strategy furnished compound 8 by a coupling reaction of alkyne 53 with ω-bromo-substitued fatty acid 52 , obtained from compounds 24 and 47 by Wittig reaction, hydrogenation, and introduction of bromide (Scheme 4). Hydrogenation (Lindlar's catalyst) of the resulting C₃₄-alkyne 54 and deprotection furnished 8 .     

Some Unusual Products from the Thermal Reaction of Azulenes with Dimethyl Acetylenedicarboxylate

The thermal reaction of azulene-1-carbaldehydes 5 and 6 with excess dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (ADM) in decalin leads mainly to the formation of (1 + 1) and (1 + 2) adducts arising from the addition of ADM at the seven-membered ring of the azulenes (cf. Schemes 2 and 4). The (1 + 2) adducts are formed in a homo-Diels-Alder reaction of ADM and isomeric tricyclic carbaldehydes which are derived from the primary tricyclic carbaldehydes by reversible [1s5s]-C shifts (cf. Schemes 3 and 5). The thus formed pentacyclic carbaldehydes seem to undergo deep-seated skeletal rearrangements (cf. Scheme 7) which result finally in the formation of the formyl-tetrahydrocyclopenta[bc]acenaphthylene-tetraesters 12 and 19 , respectively. In other cases, e.g., azulene-1-carbaldehydes 7 and 8 (cf. Scheme 8), the thermal reaction with excess ADM furnishes only the already known tetracycfic (1 + 2) adducts of type anti- 26 to ‘anti’- 29 . The thermal reaction of 1,3,4,8-tetramethylazulene ( 9 ) with excess ADM in decalin resulted in the formation of two (1 + 2) and one (1 + 3) adduct in low yields (cf. Scheme 9). The latter turned out to be the 2,6-bridged barrelene derivative 32 . There are structural evidences that 32 is formed by similar pathways as the formyl-tetrahydrocyclopenta[bc]acenaphthylene-tetraesters (cf. Schemes 7 and 11). [²H₃]Me-Labelling experiments are in agreement with the proposed mechanisms (cf. Scheme 13).     

Synthesis of (2′S)‐2′‐Deoxy‐2′‐C‐methylpurine Nucleosides and Their Phosphoramidites

We describe the stereoselective synthesis of (2′S)‐2′‐deoxy‐2′‐C‐methyladenosine ( 12 ) and (2′S)‐2′‐deoxy‐2′‐C‐methylinosine ( 14 ) as well as their corresponding cyanoethyl phosphoramidites 16 and 19 from 6‐O‐(2,6‐dichlorophenyl)inosine as starting material. The methyl group at the 2′‐position was introduced via a Wittig reaction (→ 3 , Scheme 1) followed by a stereoselective oxidation with OsO₄ (→ 4 , Scheme 2). The primary‐alcohol moiety of 4 was tosylated (→ 5 ) and regioselectively reduced with NaBH₄ (→ 6 ). Subsequent reduction of the 2′‐alcohol moiety with Bu₃SnH yielded stereoselectively the corresponding (2′S)‐2′‐deoxy‐2′‐C‐methylnucleoside (→ 8a ).     

Zur Photochemie von 1H- und 2H-Indazolen in saurer Lösung

On the Photochemistry of 1H- and 2H-Indazoles in Acidic Solution It is shown that 1H- and 2H-indazoles (cf. Scheme 2) on protonation (0, 1N H₂SO₄ in water or alcoholic solution) give analogous indazolium ions (see Fig. 1 and 2) which on irradiation undergo heterolytic cleavage of the N (1), N (2) bond whereby aromatic nitrenium ions in the singlet ground state are formed (cf. Scheme 13). If the para position of these nitrenium ions is not occupied by a substituent (e.g. a methyl group) they are readily trapped by nucleophiles present (e.g. water, alcohols, chloride ions) to yield the corresponding 5-substituted 2-amino-benzaldehydes or acetophenones (cf. Schemes 4–10). Photolysis of indazole ( 4 ) and 3-methyl-indazole ( 5 ) in 0,75N H₂SO₄ in alcoholic solutions gives in addition minor amounts of the corresponding 3-substituted 2-amino-benzaldehydes and acetophenones, respectively (cf. Schemes 6 and 8 and Table 2). Phenylnitrenium ions carrying a methyl group in the para position give in aqueous sulfuric acid mainly the reduction products, i.e. 2-amino-5-methyl-benzaldehydes (cf. Schemes 11 and 12 and Table 3). In methanolic sulfuric acid, in addition to the reduction products, 6-methoxy substituted benzaldehydes are found (cf. Schemes 11 and 12 and Table 3) which are presumably formed by an addition-elimination mechanism (cf. Scheme 18). It is assumed that precursors of the reduction products are the corresponding nitrenium ions in the triplet ground state. Singlet-triplet conversion of the nitrenium ions may become efficient when addition of nucleophiles to the singlet nitrenium ions is reversible (cf. Scheme 22) thus, enhancing the probability of conversion or when conjugation in the singlet nitrenium ions is disturbed by steric effects (cf. Scheme 20) thus, destabilizing the singlet state relative to the triplet state.     

Acid-Catalyzed [3,3]-Sigmatropic Rearrangements of N-Propargylanilines

The acid-catalyzed rearrangement of N-(1′,1′-dimethylprop-2′-ynyl)-, N-(1′-methylprop-2′-ynyl)-, and N-(1′-arylprop-2′-ynyl)-2,6-, 2,4,6-, 2,3,5,6-, and 2,3,4,5,6-substituted anilines in mixtures of 1N aqueous H₂SO₄ and ROH such as EtOH, PrOH, BuOH etc., or in CDCl₃ or CCl₄ in the presence of 4 to 9 mol-equiv. trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)has been investigated (cf. Scheme 12-25 and Tables 6 and 7). The rearrangement of N-(3′-X-1′,1′-dimethyl-prop-2′-ynyl)-2,6- and 2,4,6-trimethylanilines (X = Cl, Br, I) in CDCl₃/TFA occurs already at 20° with τ_1/2 of ca. 1 to 5 h to yield the corresponding 6-(1-X-3′-methylbuta-1,2′-dienyl)-2,6-dimethyl- or 2,4,6-trimethylcyclohexa-2,4-dien-1-iminium ions (cf. Scheme 13 and Footnotes 26 and 34) When the 4 position is not substituted, a consecutive [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement takes place to yield 2,6-dimethyl-4-(3′-X-1′,1′-dimethylprop-2′-ynyl)anilines (cf. Footnotes 26 and 34). A comparable behavior is exhibited by N-(3′-chloro-1′-phenylprop-2′-ynyl)-2,6-dimethylaniline ( 45 ., cf. Table 7). The acid-catalyzed rearrangement of the anilines with a Cl substituent at C(3′) in 1N aqueous H₂SO₄/ROH at 85-95°, in addition, leads to the formation of 7-chlorotricyclo[3.2.1.0^2,7]oct-3-en-8-ones as the result of an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of the primarily formed iminium ions followed by hydrolysis of the iminium function (or vice versa; cf. Schemes 13,23, and 25 as well as Table 7). When there is no X substituent at C(1′) of the iminium-ion intermediate, a [1,2]-sigmatropic shift of the allenyl moiety at C(6) occurs in competition to the [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement to yield the corresponding 3-allenyl-substituted anilines (cf. Schemes 12,14–18, and 20 as well as Tables 6 and 7). The rearrangement of (?)?(S)-N-(1′-phenylprop-2′-ynyl)-2,6-dimethylaniline ((?)- 38 ; cf. Table 7) in a mixture of 1N H₂SO₄/PrOH at 86° leads to the formation of (?)-(R)-3-(3′-phenylpropa-1′,2′-dienyl)-2,6-dimethylaniline ((?)- 91 ), (+)-(E)- and (?)-(Z)-6-benzylidene-1,5-dimethyltricyclo[3.2.1.0^2′7]oct-3-en-8-one ((+)-(E)- and (?)-(Z)- 92 , respectively), and (?)-(S)-2,6-dimethyl-4-( 1′-phenylprop-2′-ynyl)aniline((?)- 93 ). Recovered starting material (10%) showed a loss of 18% of its original optical purity. On the other hand, (+)-(E)- and (?)-(Z)- 92 showed the same optical purity as (minus;)- 38 , as expected for intramolecular concerted processes. The CD of (+)-(E)- and (?)-(Z)- 92 clearly showed that their tricyclic skeletons possess enantiomorphic structures (cf. Fig. 1). Similar results were obtained from the acid-catalyzed rearrangement of (?)-(S)-N-(3′-chloro-1′phenylprop-2′-ynyl)-2,6-dimethylaniline ((?)- 45 ; cf. Table 7). The recovered starting material exhibited in this case a loss of 48% of its original optical purity, showing that the Cl substituent favors the heterolytic cleavage of the N–C(1′) bond in (?)- 45. A still higher degree (78%) of loss of optical activity of the starting aniline was observed in the acid-catalyzed rearrangement of (?)-(S)-2,6-dimethyl-N-[1′-(p-tolyl)prop-2′-ynyl]aniline ((?)- 42 ; cf. Scheme 25). N-[1′-(p-anisyl)prop-2-ynyl]-2,4,6-trimethylaniline( 43 ; cf. Scheme 25) underwent no acid-catalyzed [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement at all. The acid-catalyzed rearrangement of N-(1′,1′-dimethylprop-2′-ynyl)aniline ( 25 ; cf. Scheme 10) in 1N H₂SO₄/BuOH at 100° led to no product formation due to the sensitivity of the expected product 53 against the reaction conditions. On the other hand, the acid-catalyzed rearrangement of the corresponding 3′-Cl derivative at 130° in aqueous H₂SO₄ in ethylene glycol led to the formation of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2,2-dimethylquinolin-4-on ( 54 ; cf. Scheme 10), the hydrolysis product of the expected 4-chloro-1,2-dihydro-2,2-dimethylquinoline ( 56 ). Similarly, the acid-catalyzed rearrangement of N-(3′-bromo-1′-methylprop-2′-ynyl)-2,6-diisopropylaniline ( 37 ; cf. Scheme 21) yielded, by loss of one i-Pr group, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-8-isopropyl-2-methylquinolin-4-one ( 59 ).     

New ethylzinc reagents with remarkable properties in palladium-catalyzed zinc-ene reactions

Pd-Catalyzed Zn-ene allylic olefinations with the new ethylzinc reagents Et? Zn? OSO₂CF₃ ( 4 ) and Et? Zn? OC(O)CF(MeO)CF₃ ( 5 ) in CH₂Cl₂ showed an unexpected trans-selectivity in the ring closure to cyclopentane derivatives (see Scheme 2 and Table 1). This strong trans-selectivity is in contrast with the corresponding known Zn-ene reaction using Et₂Zn in Et₂O which shows a high cis-selectivity (Table 1). The probable radical origin of the observed trans-selectivity is discussed. The Zn-ene reaction products of the type R? Zn? OSO₂CF₃ could be derivatized by the known protonation, iodination, and cyanation yielding 8–10 (Scheme 4 and Table 2), these derivatizations could furthermore be extended by allylation and oxidation reaction (→ 13, 15 , and 16 ; see Scheme 5).