Formation of 6‐Methyl‐7,11‐diphenylheptaleno[1,2‐c]furanones

The dehydrogenation reaction of a mixture of heptalene‐1,2‐ and heptalene‐4,5‐dimethanols 4a and 4b with basic MnO₂ in AcOEt at room temperature led to the formation of the corresponding heptaleno[1,2‐c]furan‐1‐one 6a and heptaleno[1,2‐c]furan‐3‐one 7a (Scheme 2). Both products can be isolated by chromatography on silica gel. The methylenation of the furan‐3‐one 7a with 1 mol‐equiv. of Tebbe's reagent at ?25 to ?30° afforded the 2‐isopropenyl‐5‐methylheptalene‐1‐methanol 9a , instead of the expected 3,6‐dimethylheptaleno[1,2‐c]furan 8 (Scheme 3). Also, the treatment of 7a with Takai's reagent did not lead to the formation of 8 . On standing in solution at room temperature, or more rapidly on heating at 60°, heptalene 9a undergoes a reversible double‐bond shift (DBS) to 9b with an equilibrium ratio of 1 : 1.     

Reductive Elimination of Phenylsulfonyl Groups in the 3‐Position of Benzo[a]heptalene‐2,4‐diols

3‐(Phenylsulfonyl)benzo[a]heptalene‐2,4‐diols 1 can be desulfonylated with an excess of LiAlH₄/MeLi?LiBr in boiling THF in good yields (Scheme 6). When the reaction is run with LiAlH₄/MeLi, mainly the 3,3′‐disulfides 6 of the corresponding 2,4‐dihydroxybenzo[a]heptalene‐3‐thiols are formed after workup (Scheme 7). However, the best yields of desulfonylated products are obtained when the 2,4‐dimethoxy‐substituted benzo[a]heptalenes 2 are reduced with an excess of LiAlH₄/TiCl₄ at ?78→20° in THF (Scheme 10). Attempts to substitute the PhSO₂ group of 2 with freshly prepared MeONa in boiling THF led to a highly selective ether cleavage of the 4‐MeO group, rather than to desulfonylation (Scheme 13).     

Formation of 2‐(Phenylsulfonyl)resorcinols (=2‐(Phenylsulfonyl)benzene‐1,3‐diols) from Symmetrically Substituted Maleic Anhydrides (=Furan‐2,5‐diones)

Treatment of symmetrically substituted maleic anhydrides (=furan‐2,5‐diones) 6 with lithium (phenylsulfonyl)methanide, followed by methylation of the adduct with MeI/K₂CO₃ in acetone, give the corresponding 4,5‐disubstituted 2‐methyl‐2‐(phenylsulfonyl)cyclopent‐4‐ene‐1,3‐diones 8 (Scheme 3). Reaction of the latter with lithium (phenylsulfonyl)methanide in THF (?78°) and then with 4 mol‐equiv. BuLi (?5° to r.t.) leads to 5,6‐disubstituted 4‐methyl‐2‐(phenylsulfonyl)benzene‐1,3‐diols 9 (Scheme 4).     

A New Alkylation Method for Heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates and of One of Their Pseudoester Forms

Dimethyl heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates

1 The locants of heptalene itself are maintained throughout the whole work. See footnote 4 in [1] for reasoning.

undergo preferentially a Michael addition reaction at C(3) with α‐lithiated alkyl phenyl sulfones at temperatures below ?50°, leading to corresponding cis‐configured 3,4‐dihydroheptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates (cf. Table 1, Schemes 3 and 4). The corresponding heptalenofuran‐1‐one‐type pseudoesters of dimethyl heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates (Scheme 5) react with [(phenylsulfonyl)methyl]lithium almost exclusively at C(1) of the furanone group (Scheme 6). In contrast to this expected behavior, the uptake of 1‐[phenylsulfonyl)ethyl]lithium occurs at C(5) of the heptalenofuran‐1‐ones as long as they carry a Me group at C(11) (Schemes 6 and 7). The 1,4‐ as well as the 1,6‐addition products eliminate, on treatment with MeONa/MeOH in THF, benzenesulfinate, thus leading to 3‐ and 4‐alkylated dimethyl heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates, respectively (Schemes 8–13). The configuration of the addition reaction of the nucleophiles to the inherently chiral heptalenes is discussed in detail (cf. Schemes 14–19) on the basis of a number of X‐ray crystal‐structure determinations as well as by studies of the temperature‐dependence of the ¹H‐NMR spectra of the addition products.     

From Blue Azulenes to Blue Heptalenes – New Strongly Polarized π‐Convertible Heptalenes

The 1,5,6,8,10‐pentamethylheptalene‐4‐carboxaldehyde ( 4b ) (together with its double‐bond‐shifted (DBS) isomer 4a ) and methyl 4‐formyl‐1,6,8,10‐tetramethylheptalene‐5‐carboxylate ( 15b ) were synthesized (Schemes 3 and 7, resp.). Aminoethenylation of 4a / 4b with N,N‐dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal (=1,1‐dimethoxy‐N,N‐dimethylmethanamine=DMFDMA) led in DMF to 1‐[(1E)‐2‐(dimethylamino)ethenyl]‐5,6,8,10‐tetramethylheptalene‐2‐carboxaldehyde ( 18a ; Scheme 9), whereas the stronger aminoethenylation agent N,N,N′,N′,N″,N″‐hexamethylmethanetriamine (=tris(dimethylamino)methane=TDMAM) gave an almost 1 : 1 mixture of 18a and 1‐[(1E)‐2‐(dimethylamino)ethenyl]‐5,6,8,10‐tetramethylheptalene‐4‐carboxaldehyde ( 20b ; Scheme 11). Carboxylate 15b delivered with DMFDMA on heating in DMF the expected aminoethenylation product 19b (Scheme 10). The aminoethenylated heptalenecarboxaldehydes were treated with malononitrile in CH₂Cl₂ in the presence of TiCl₄/pyridine to yield the corresponding malononitrile derivatives 23b, 24b , and 26a (Schemes 13 and 14). The photochemically induced DBS process of the heptalenecarboxaldehydes as ‘soft’ merocyanines and their malononitrile derivatives as ‘strong’ merocyanines of almost zwitterionic nature were studied in detail (Figs. 10–29) with the result that 1,4‐donor/acceptor substituted heptalenes are cleaner switchable than 1,2‐donor/acceptor‐substituted heptalenes.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of [5‐[4,4,4,4′,4′,4′‐Hexafluoro‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐D‐valine]]‐ and [5‐[4,4,4,4′,4′,4′‐Hexafluoro‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐L‐valine]cyclosporin A

Addition of various amines to the 3,3‐bis(trifluoromethyl)acrylamides 10a and 10b gave the tripeptides 11a – 11f , mostly as mixtures of epimers (Scheme 3). The crystalline tripeptide 11f ₂ was found to be the N‐terminal (2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐substituted (R,S,S)‐ester HOCH₂CH₂O‐D ‐Val(F₆)‐MeLeu‐Ala‐O^tBu by X‐ray crystallography. The C‐terminal‐protected tripeptide 11f ₂ was condensed with the N‐terminus octapeptide 2b to the depsipeptide 12a which was thermally rearranged to the undecapeptide 13a (Scheme 4). The condensation of the epimeric tripeptide 11f ₁ with the octapeptide 2b gave the undecapeptide 13b directly. The undecapeptides 13a and 13b were fully deprotected and cyclized to the [5‐[4,4,4,4′,4′,4′‐hexafluoro‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐D ‐valine]]‐ and [5‐[4,4,4,4′,4′,4′‐hexafluoro‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐L ‐valine]]cyclosporins 14a and 14b , respectively (Scheme 5). Rate differences observed for the thermal rearrangements of 12a to 13a and of 12b to 13b are discussed.     

On the Formation of 2‐Sulfonylbenzo[a]heptalene‐1,3‐diols as Precursors for the Synthesis of Colchicinoids

The benzo[a]heptalene formation from 4‐[(R‐sulfonyl)acetyl]heptalene‐5‐carboxylates 15 and 5‐[(R‐sulfonyl)acetyl]heptalene‐4‐carboxylates 16 (R=Ph or morpholino) in the presence of R′SO₂CH₂Li and BuLi has been investigated (Scheme 6). Only the sulfonyl moiety linked to the C?O group at C(4) of the heptalene skeleton is found at C(3) of the formed benzo[a]heptalene‐2,4‐diols 3 in accordance with the general mechanism of their formation (Scheme 3). Intermediates that might rearrange to corresponding 2‐sulfonylbenzo[a]heptalene‐1,3‐diols lose HO^? under the reaction conditions to yield the corresponding cyclopenta[d]heptalenones of type 11 (Schemes 6 and 7). However, the presence of an additional Me group at C(α) of the lithioalkyl sulfones suppresses the loss of HO^?, and 4‐methyl‐2‐sulfonylbenzo[a]heptalene‐1,3‐diols of type 4c have been isolated and characterized for the first time (Schemes 8 and 10). A number of X‐ray crystal‐structure analyses of starting materials and of the new benzo[a]heptalenes have been performed. Finally, benzo[a]heptalene 4c has been transformed into its 1,2,3‐trimethoxy derivative 23 , a benzo[a]heptalene with the colchicinoid substitution pattern at ring A (Scheme 11).     

Light-Induced,Thermal, and Acid-Catalyzed π-Skeletal Rearrangements of Five-Ring-Annelated Heptalenes

It is shown that, upon irradiation in CDCl₃ solution, 5,6,8,10-tetramethylheptalene-1,2-dicarboxylic anhydride ( 6 ) rearranges to its double-bond-shift (DBS) isomer 7 in an equilibrium reaction (Scheme 2). The isomer 7 is DBS stable at ?50°. At ca. 30°, a thermal equilibrium with 97.8% of 6 and 2.2% of 7 is rapidly established. Similarly, the ‘ortho’-anhydrides 9 and 11 (Schemes 4 and 5) can be rearranged to their corresponding DBS isomers 12 and 13 , respectively. Whereas 12 is DBS stable at 30° (at 100° in tetralin, 94.0% of 9 are in equilibrium with 6.0% of 12 ), the i-Pr-substituted isomer 13 is already at 30° in thermal equilibrium with 11 leading to 98.7% of 11 and 1.3% of 13 . It is shown by rearrangement of diasteroisomeric ‘ortho’-anhydrides of known relative and absolute configuration (Scheme 6) that the DBS in such five-ring-annelated heptalenes occurs with retention of the configuration of the heptalene skeleton as already established for other heptalene compounds. It is found that the DBS process may also take place under acid catalysis (e.g. HCl/CH₃OH), thus yielding 9 from 12 (Scheme 9). The ‘ortho’-anhydrides 21 and 23 (Scheme 10) which are isomeric with 9 and 11 (Scheme 3) undergo rapid DBS' already at room temperature. The thermal equilibrium 21?22 consists of 18% of 21 and 82% of 22 at 30° and that of 23?24 of 17% of 23 and 83% of 24 at ?30°. From these equilibrium mixtures, the pure DBS isomer 22 can be obtained by crystallization. Again, these rapid DBS' occur with retention of configuration of the heptalene skeleton (Fig. 4).     

Benzo[a]heptalenes from Heptaleno[1,2‐c]furans. Part 2

It is shown in this ‘Part 2’ that heptaleno[1,2‐c]furans 1 react thermally in a Diels–Alder‐type [4+2] cycloaddition at the furan ring with vinylene carbonate (VC), phenylsulfonylallene (PSA), α‐(acetyloxy)acrylonitrile (AAN), and (1Z)‐1,2‐bis(phenylsulfonyl)ethene (ZSE) to yield the corresponding 1,4‐epoxybenzo[d]heptalenes (cf. Schemes 1, 5, 6, and 8). The thermal reaction of 1a and 1b with VC at 130° and 150°, respectively, leads mainly to the 2,3‐endo‐cyclocarbonates 2,3‐endo‐ 2a and ‐ 2b and in minor amounts to the 2,3‐exo‐cyclocarbonates 2,3‐exo‐ 2a and ‐ 2b . In some cases, the (P*)‐ and (M*)‐configured epimers were isolated and characterized (Scheme 1). Base‐catalyzed cleavage of 2,3‐endo‐ 2 gave the corresponding 2,3‐diols 3 , which were further transformed via reductive cleavage of their dimesylates 4 into the benzo[a]heptalenes 5a and 5b , respectively (Scheme 2). In another reaction sequence, the 2,3‐diols 3 were converted into their cyclic carbonothioates 6 , which on treatment with (EtO)₃P gave the deoxygenated 1,4‐dihydro‐1,4‐epoxybenzo[d]heptalenes 7 . These were rearranged by acid catalysis into the benzo[a]heptalen‐4‐ols 8a and 8b , respectively (Scheme 2). Cyclocarbonate 2,3‐endo‐ 2b reacted with lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) at ?70° under regioselective ring opening to the 3‐hydroxy‐substituted benzo[d]heptalen‐2‐yl carbamate 2,3‐endo‐ 9b (Scheme 3). The latter was O‐methylated to 2,3‐endo‐(P*)‐ 10b . The further way, to get finally the benzo[a]heptalene 13b with MeO groups in 1,2,3‐position, could not be realized due to the fact that we found no way to cleave the carbamate group of 2,3‐endo‐(P*)‐ 10b without touching its 1,4‐epoxy bridge (Scheme 3). The reaction of 1a with PSA in toluene at 120° was successful, in a way that we found regioisomeric as well as epimeric cycloadducts (Scheme 5). Unfortunately, the attempts to rearrange the products under strong‐base catalysis as it had been shown successfully with other furan–PSA adducts were unsuccessful (Scheme 4). The thermal cycloaddition reaction of 1a and 1b with AAN yielded again regioisomeric and epimeric adducts, which could easily be transformed into the corresponding 2‐ and 3‐oxo products (Scheme 6). Only the latter ones could be rearranged with Ac₂O/H₂SO₄ into the corresponding benzo[a]heptalene‐3,4‐diol diacetates 20a and 20b , respectively, or with trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TfOSiMe₃/Et₃N), followed by treatment with NH₄Cl/H₂O, into the corresponding benzo[a]heptalen‐3,4‐diols 21a and 21b (Scheme 7). The thermal cycloaddition reaction of 1 with ZSE in toluene gave the cycloadducts 2,3‐exo‐ 22a and ‐ 22b as well as 2‐exo,3‐endo‐ 22c in high yields (Scheme 8). All three adducts eliminated, by treatment with base, benzenesulfinic acid and yielded the corresponding 3‐(phenylsulfonyl)‐1,4‐epoxybenzo[d]heptalenes 25 . The latter turned out to be excellent Michael acceptors for H₂O₂ in basic media (Scheme 9). The Michael adducts lost H₂O on treatment with Ac₂O in pyridine and gave the 3‐(phenylsulfonyl)benzo[d]heptalen‐2‐ones 28a and 3‐exo‐ 28b , respectively. Rearrangement of these compounds in the presence of Ac₂O/AcONa lead to the formation of the corresponding 3‐(phenylsulfonyl)benzo[a]heptalene‐1,2‐diol diacetates 30a and 30b , which on treatment with MeONa/MeI gave the corresponding MeO‐substituted compounds 31a and 31b . The reductive elimination of the PhSO₂ group led finally to the 1,2‐dimethoxybenzo[a]heptalenes 32a and 32b . Deprotonation experiments of 32a with t‐BuLi/N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethylethane‐1,2‐diamine (tmeda) and quenching with D₂O showed that the most acid C? H bond is H? C(3) (Scheme 9). Some of the new structures were established by X‐ray crystal‐diffraction analyses (cf. Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5). Moreover, nine of the new benzo[a]heptalenes were resolved on an anal. Chiralcel OD‐H column, and their CD spectra were measured (cf. Figs. 8 and 9). As a result, the 1,2‐dimethoxybenzo[a]heptalenes 32a and 32b showed unexpectedly new Cotton‐effect bands just below 300 nm, which were assigned to chiral exciton coupling between the heptalene and benzo part of the structurally highly twisted compounds. The PhSO₂‐substituted benzo[a]heptalenes 30b and 31b showed, in addition, a further pair of Cotton‐effect bands in the range of 275–245 nm, due to chiral exciton coupling of the benzo[a]heptalene chromophore and the phenylsulfonyl chromophore (cf. Fig. 10).     

Synthesis and Characterization of New Heptalenes with Extended π‐Systems Attached to Them

Methyl heptalenecarboxylates of type A and B with π(1) and π(2) substituents in 1,4‐relation (Scheme 1) were synthetized starting with dimethyl 1‐methylheptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates 5b and 6b derived from 7‐isopropyl‐1,4‐dimethylazulene (=guaiazulene) and 1,4,6,8‐tetramethylazulene by thermal reaction with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate. The further general way of proceeding for the introduction of the π(1) and π(2) substituents is displayed in Scheme 3, and the thus obtained methyl heptalene‐5‐carboxylates of type A and B are listed in Table 1. The C?C bonds of the 2‐arylethenyl and 4‐arylbuta‐1,3‐dien‐1‐yl groups of π(1) and π(2) were in all cases (E)‐configured and showed s‐trans conformation at the C? C bonds (X‐ray and ¹H‐NOE evidence) in the B ‐type as well as in the A ‐type heptalenes (cf. Figs. 5–12). All B ‐type heptalenes showed a strongly enhanced heptalene band I in the wavelength region 440–490 nm in hexane/CH₂Cl₂ 9 : 1 (cf. Table 4 and Figs. 13–20). The A ‐type heptalenes showed in this region only weak absorption, recognizable as shoulders or simply tailing of the dominating heptalene bands II/III (Table 5). Absorption band I of the B ‐type heptalenes appeared almost at the same wavelength as the longest wavelength absorption band of comparable open‐chain α,ω‐diarylpolyenes (cf. Fig. 21). The cyclic double bond shift (DBS) of the A ‐ and B ‐type heptalenes could be photochemically steered in one or the other direction by selective irradiation (cf. Fig. 22).     

Selenium‐Containing Heterocycles from Isoselenocyanates: Synthesis of 5‐Amino‐2,4‐dihydro‐3H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐selones

The reaction of S‐methylisothiosemicarbazide hydroiodide (=S‐methyl hydrazinecarboximidothioate hydroiodide; 1 ), prepared from thiosemicarbazide by treatment with MeI in EtOH, and aryl isoselenocyanates 5 in CH₂Cl₂ affords 3H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐selone derivatives 7 in good yield (Scheme 2, Table 1). During attempted crystallization, these products undergo an oxidative dimerization to give the corresponding bis(4H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐yl) diselenides 11 (Scheme 3). The structure of 11a was established by X‐ray crystallography.     

Formation of 6,10‐Diphenyl‐Substituted Heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates

It is shown that 4,8‐diphenylazulene ( 1 ) can be easily prepared from azulene by two consecutive phenylation reactions with PhLi, followed by dehydrogenation with chloranil. Similarly, a Me group can subsequently be introduced with MeLi at C(6) of 1 (Scheme 2). This methylation led not only to the expected main product, azulene 2 , but also to small amounts of product 3 , the structure of which has been determined by X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis (cf. Fig. 1). As expected, the latter product reacts with chloranil at 40° in Et₂O to give 2 in quantitative yields. Vilsmeier formylation of 1 and 2 led to the formation of the corresponding azulene‐1‐carbaldehydes 4 and 5 . Reduction of 4 and 5 with NaBH₄/BF₃ ? OEt₂ in diglyme/Et₂O 1 : 1 and BF₃ ? OEt₂, gave the 1‐methylazulenes 6 and 7 , respectively. In the same way was azulene 9 available from 6 via Vilsmeier formylation, followed by reduction of azulene‐1‐carbaldehyde 8 (Scheme 3). The thermal reactions of azulenes 1, 6 , and 7 with excess dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (ADM) in MeCN at 100° during 72 h afforded the corresponding heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates 11, 12 , and 13 , respectively (Scheme 4). On the other hand, the highly substituted azulene 9 gave hardly any heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylate.     

Synthesis of Bis‐Heterocyclic 1H‐Imidazole 3‐Oxides from 3‐Oxido‐1H‐imidazole‐4‐carbohydrazides

The reaction of 1H‐imidazole‐4‐carbohydrazides 1 , which are conveniently accessible by treatment of the corresponding esters with NH₂NH₂?H₂O, with isothiocyanates in refluxing EtOH led to thiosemicarbazides (=hydrazinecarbothioamides) 4 in high yields (Scheme 2). Whereas 4 in boiling aqueous NaOH yielded 2,4‐dihydro‐3H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐thiones 5 , the reaction in concentrated H₂SO₄ at room temperature gave 1,3,4‐thiadiazol‐2‐amines 6 . Similarly, the reaction of 1 with butyl isocyanate led to semicarbazides 7 , which, under basic conditions, undergo cyclization to give 2,4‐dihydro‐3H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐ones 8 (Scheme 3). Treatment of 1 with Ac₂O yielded the diacylhydrazine derivatives 9 exclusively, and the alternative isomerization of 1 to imidazol‐2‐ones was not observed (Scheme 4). It is important to note that, in all these transformations, the imidazole N‐oxide residue is retained. Furthermore, it was shown that imidazole N‐oxides bearing a 1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐thione or 1,3,4‐thiadiazol‐2‐amine moiety undergo the S‐transfer reaction to give bis‐heterocyclic 1H‐imidazole‐2‐thiones 11 by treatment with 2,2,4,4‐tetramethylcyclobutane‐1,3‐dithione (Scheme 5).     

Reaction of Optically Active Oxiranes with Thiofenchone and 1‐Methylpyrrolidine‐2‐thione: Formation of 1,3‐Oxathiolanes and Thiiranes

The SnCl₄‐catalyzed reaction of (?)‐thiofenchone (=1,3,3‐trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptane‐2‐thione; 10 ) with (R)‐2‐phenyloxirane ((R)‐ 11 ) in anhydrous CH₂Cl₂ at ?60° led to two spirocyclic, stereoisomeric 4‐phenyl‐1,3‐oxathiolanes 12 and 13 via a regioselective ring enlargement, in accordance with previously reported reactions of oxiranes with thioketones (Scheme 3). The structure and configuration of the major isomer 12 were determined by X‐ray crystallography. On the other hand, the reaction of 1‐methylpyrrolidine‐2‐thione ( 14a ) with (R)‐ 11 yielded stereoselectively (S)‐2‐phenylthiirane ((S)‐ 15 ) in 56% yield and 87–93% ee, together with 1‐methylpyrrolidin‐2‐one ( 14b ). This transformation occurs via an S_N2‐type attack of the S‐atom at C(2) of the aryl‐substituted oxirane and, therefore, with inversion of the configuration (Scheme 4). The analogous reaction of 14a with (R)‐2‐{[(triphenylmethyl)oxy]methyl}oxirane ((R)‐ 16b ) led to the corresponding (R)‐configured thiirane (R)‐ 17b (Scheme 5); its structure and configuration were also determined by X‐ray crystallography. A mechanism via initial ring opening by attack at C(3) of the alkyl‐substituted oxirane, with retention of the configuration, and subsequent decomposition of the formed 1,3‐oxathiolane with inversion of the configuration is proposed (Scheme 5).     

Alkylation Reactions at the Benzo Moiety of 2,4‐Dimethoxy‐3‐(phenylsulfonyl)benzo[a]heptalenes – Model Compounds of Colchicinoids

Alkylation reactions of 3‐(X‐sulfonyl)benzo[a]heptalene‐2,4‐diols (X=Ph, morpholin‐4‐yl) and their dimethyl ethers were studied. The diols form with K₂CO₃/MeI in aqueous media the 1‐methylated benzoheptalenes, but in yields not surpassing 20% (Table 1). On the other hand, 2,4‐dimethoxybenzo[a]heptalenes can easily be lithiated at C(3) with BuLi and then treated with alkyl iodides to give the 3‐alkylated forms in good yield (Table 2). Surprising is the reaction with two equiv. or more of t‐BuLi since the alkylation at C(4) is accompanied by the reductive elimination of the X‐sulfonyl group at C(3) (Table 3). Most exciting is also the course of 2,4‐dimethoxy‐3‐(phenylsulfonyl)benzo[a]heptalenes in the presence of an excess of MeLi. After the expected exchange of MeO against Me at C(4) (Scheme 6), rearrangement takes place under formation of 4‐benzyl‐2‐methoxybenzo[a]heptalenes and concomitant loss of the sulfonyl group at C(3) (Table 4). In the case of X=morpholin‐4‐yl, rearrangement cannot occur. However, the intermediate benzyl anions of Type E (Scheme 8) react easily with O₂ of the air to build up corresponding benzo[a]heptalene‐4‐methanols (Table 6).     

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.     

Kristallstrukturen und spektroskopische Eigenschaften von 2λ3‐Phospha‐1, 3‐dionaten und 1, 3‐Dionaten des Calciums ‐ ein Vergleich am Beispiel der 1, 3‐Diphenyl‐ und 1, 3‐Di(tert‐butyl)‐Derivate

Crystal Structures and Spectroscopic Properties of 2λ³‐Phospha‐1, 3‐dionates and 1, 3‐Dionates of Calcium ‐ Comparative Studies on the 1, 3‐Diphenyl and 1, 3‐Di(tert‐butyl) Derivatives A hydrogen‐metal exchange between dibenzoylphosphane and calcium carbide in tetrahydrofuran (THF) followed by addition of the ligand 1, 3, 5‐trimethyl‐1, 3, 5‐triazinane (TMTA) furnishes the binuclear complex bis[(tmta‐N, N′, N″)calcium bis(dibenzoylphosphanide)] ( 1a ) co‐crystallizing with benzene. Similarly, reaction of bis(2, 2‐dimethylpropionyl)phosphane with bis(thf‐O)calcium bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)amide] in 1, 2‐dimethoxyethane (DME) gives bis(dme‐O, O′)calcium bis[bis(2, 2‐dimethylpropionyl)phosphanide] ( 1b ) in high yield. The carbon analogues 1, 3‐diphenylpropane‐1, 3‐dione (dibenzoylmethane) or 2, 2, 6, 6‐tetramethylheptane‐3, 5‐dione (dipivaloylmethane) and bis(thf‐O)calcium bis[tris(trimethylsilylmethyl)zincate] in DME afford bis(dme‐O, O′)calcium bis(dibenzoylmethanide) ( 2a ) and the binuclear complex (μ‐dme‐O, O′)bis[(dme‐O, O′)calcium bis(dipivaloylmethanide)] ( 2b ), respectively. Dialkylzinc formed during the metalation reaction shows no reactivity towards the 1, 3‐dionates 2a and 2b . Finally, from the reaction of the unsymmetrically substituted ligand 2‐(methoxycarbonyl)cyclopentanone and bis(thf‐O)calcium bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)amide] in toluene, the trinuclear complex 3 is obtained, co‐crystallizing with THF. The β‐ketoester anion bridges solely via the cyclopentanone unit.     

New Syntheses of Di-π-Substituted Heptalenes

To study the effect of double-bond shifts (DBS) in different type of heptalenes linked to extended π-systems, several di-π-substituted heptalenes were synthesized. 6-[(E)-Styryl]heptalene-dicarboxylate 4 was smoothly converted to 1-(chloromethyl)heptalene-dicarboxylate 5 by treatment with t-BuOK and C₂Cl₆ in THF at −78°. The one-pot reaction of 5 and P(OEt)₃ in the presence of NaI, followed by Wittig-Horner reaction, afforded the 1,6-di-π-substituted heptalene 6 . The reaction of 6-[(1E,3E)-4-phenylbuta-1,3-dienyl]heptalenes 7 or 15 with t-BuOK and benzaldehyde in THF led to the formation of the 1,6-di-π-substituted heptalenes 13 or 16 , together with transesterification products 14 or 17 . The transformation of the MeOCO group at C(4) of 6-[(E)-styryl]heptalene-dicarboxylate 4 to a phenylbuta-1,3-dienyl substituent afforded the 4,6-di-π-substituted heptalene 21a , which is in thermal equilibrium with its DBS isomer 21b in solution. Oxidation of heptalene 22 with SeO₂ in dioxane gave carbaldehyde 23 , which was then subjected to a Wittig reaction to give the 6,9-di-π-substituted heptalene-dicarboxylate 24 .     

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).     

Alkali Metal and Alkaline Earth Metal Complexes with the Bis(borane‐diphenylphosphanyl)amido Ligand – Synthesis,Structures, and Catalysis for Ring‐Opening Polymerization of ϵ‐Caprolactone

The syntheses of lithium and alkaline earth metal complexes with the bis(borane‐diphenylphosphanyl)amido ligand ( 1 ‐ H ) of molecular formulas [{κ²‐N(PPh₂(BH₃))₂}Li(THF)₂] ( 2 ) and [{κ³‐N(PPh₂(BH₃))₂}₂M(THF)₂] [(M = Ca ( 3 ), Sr ( 4 ), Ba ( 5 )] are reported. The lithium complex 2 was obtained by treatment of bis(borane‐diphenylphosphanyl)amine ( 1 ‐ H ) with lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide in a 1:1 molar ratio via the silylamine elimination method. The corresponding homoleptic alkaline earth metal complexes 3 – 5 were prepared by two synthetic routes – first, the treatment of metal bis(trimethylsilyl)amide and protio ligand 1 ‐ H via the elimination of silylamine, and second, through salt metathesis reaction involving respective metal diiodides and lithium salt 2 . The molecular structures of lithium complex 2 and barium complex 5 were established by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. In the solid‐state structure of 2 , the lithium ion is ligated by amido nitrogen atoms and hydrogen atoms of the BH₃ group in κ²‐coordination of the ligand 1 resulting in a distorted tetrahedral geometry around the lithium ion. However, in complex 5 , κ³‐coordination of the ligand 1 was observed, and the barium ion adopted a distorted octahedral arrangement. The metal complex 5 was tested as catalyst for the ring opening polymerization of ?‐caprolactone. High activity for the barium complex 5 towards ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ?‐caprolactone with a narrow polydispersity index was observed. Additionally, first‐principle calculations to investigate the structure and coordination properties of alkaline earth metal complexes 3 – 5 as a comparative study between the experimental and theoretical findings were described.