Efficient construction of tri- and tetracyclic heterocycles from linear 1,6-dienes by a domino reaction

Tri- and tetracyclic heterocycle systems were constructed by a palladium-catalyzed domino reaction of linear 1,6-dienes that contain acryl groups with aryl halides through C-C coupling and aromatic C-H functionalization. Three different acrylamides have been shown to be very active for the reaction. The substituents on the aryl halides could be ethoxycarbonyl, ketyl, chloro, sulfonyl, cyano, etc. Thus, the ready accessibility of the starting materials, the wide range of compatibility of substrates including both dienes and aryl halides, and the generality of this process make the reaction highly valuable in view of the synthetic and medicinal importance of these kinds of heterocycles.     

Nickel-catalyzed [4+3] cycloaddition of ethyl cyclopropylideneacetate and 1,3-dienes

The [4+3] cycloaddition of ethyl cyclopropylideneacetate (1) with 1,3-dienes proceeded in the presence of Ni(cod)₂-TOPP (tri-o-biphenylyl phosphite). The reaction provided a new method for the synthesis of cycloheptene derivatives. The mechanism of the reaction was proposed.     

Diethylbis(2,2′‐bipyridine)iron/MAO. A Very Active and Stereospecific Catalyst for 1,3‐Diene Polymerization

Diethylbis(2,2′‐bipyridine)Fe/MAO is an extremely active catalyst for the polymerization of 1,3‐dienes. Polymers with a 1,2 or 3,4 structure are formed from butadiene, isoprene, (E)‐1,3‐pentadiene and 3‐methyl‐1,3‐pentadiene, while cis‐1,4 polymers are derived from 2,3‐dimethyl‐1,3‐butadiene. The 1,2 (3,4) polymers obtained at 25°C are amorphous, while those obtained below 0°C are crystalline, as was determined by means of X‐ray diffraction. Mechanistic implications of the results are briefly discussed.     

Telomerization: Advances and Applications of a Versatile Reaction

A chameleonic reaction : The transition‐metal‐catalyzed telomerization of 1,3‐dienes with different nucleophiles leads to the synthesis of numerous products which can be applied in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry as well as in polymers and flavors. This Review shows the versatility of the telomerization based on recent research and industrial applications.

     

Mechanism of cycloisomerisation of 1,6-heptadienes catalysed by [(tBuCN)2PdCl2]: remarkable influence of exogenous and endogenous 1,6- and 1,5-diene ligands

The mechanism of the highly regioselective cycloisomerisation of dimethyl hept-1,6-dienyl-4,4-dicarboxylate (1) by a neutral pre-catalyst, [(tBuCN)(2)PdCl(2)] (8), to generate dimethyl 3,4-dimethylcyclopent-2-ene-1,1-dicarboxylate (3) has been investigated by isotopic labelling (reactions involving single and mixed samples of 1,1,2,6,7,7-[(2)H(6)]-1; 3,3,5,5-[(2)H(4)]-1; 1,7-(Z,Z)-[(2)H(2)]-1; [1,3-(13)C(1),5,7-(13)C(1)]-1 and [1,3-(13)C(1),6-(2)H(1)]-1) and by study of the reactions of dimethyl 1-aryl-hept-1,6-dienyl-4,4-dicarboxylates (9 a-e, where aryl is p-C(6)H(4)-X; X=H, OMe, Me, Cl, CF(3)) and dimethyl hept-1,5-dienyl-4,4-dicarboxylate (14), a 1,5-diene isomer of 1. The mechanism proposed involves the generation of a monochloro-bearing palladium hydride which undergoes a simple hydropalladation, carbopalladation, Pd/H dyotropy, beta-H elimination sequence to generate 3. A key point that emerges is that chelation of the 1,6-diene 1 at various stages in the mechanism plays an important role in determining the regioselectivity of the reaction. The selective generation of 3 with pre-catalysts of the form L(2)PdCl(2), as compared to the generation of dimethyl 3-methylene-4-methyl-cyclopentane-1,1-dicarboxylate (2) with pre-catalysts of the form [(MeCN)(2)Pd(allyl)]OTf (5) is ascribed to the absence of chloride ion in the latter, which makes an additional coordination site available throughout turnover. Liberation of the product 3 when [(tBuCN)(2)PdCl(2)] (8) is employed as pre-catalyst, is proposed to proceed via a mono- to bidentate switch in the pi-coordination of diene 1 (eta(2) to bis-eta(2)) displacing pi-coordinated 3 from Pd. When 1-aryl-1,6-dienes 9 are employed as substrates, the electron-donor property of the aryl group is found to influence the regioselectivity of cyclisation. Electron-withdrawing groups favour dimethyl 3-arylmethyl-4-methylcyclopent-2-ene-1,1-dicarboxylates (10), whilst electron-donating aryl groups favour 3-arylidene-4-methyl-cyclopentane-1,1-dicarboxylates (11). The regioselectivity (10/11) correlates with the Hammett sigma(+) values (rho(+)=1.3, r (2)=0.975) indicative of a strong pi-resonance contribution from the aryl ring rather than a simple sigma-inductive effect. Intermolecular modulation of regioselectivity is observed and the net effect proposed to arise through the (pi-->d) donation ability of the vinyl arene in the diene displacing product (10/11) via a mono- to bidentate switch in coordination. The isomerisation process increasingly sequesters Pd as turnover proceeds leading to a powerful inhibition mechanism and ultimately a limitation in turnover number to about 80.     

Sodium dithionite initiated addition of 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane to allylaromatics: Facile synthesis of conjugated dienes substituted with terminal CF3 group

Sodium dithionite effectively promotes the addition of 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane to the terminal double bond of allylbenzenes 1. The reactions proceeded in MeCN/H₂O to give a 3:1 mole ratio of diastereoisomers of 1-(2-bromo-4-chloro-5,5,5-trifluoropentyl)benzenes 2 as the main products together with small amounts of its reductive debromination products 3. Total yields of 2 and 3 were dependent on the nature of the aromatic ring substituents in 1. Treatment of adducts 2 with DBU in refluxing hexanes resulted in double dehydrohalogenation affording, in good yields, conjugated dienes 4 (1,1,1-trifluoro-5-phenyl-2,4-pentadienes) terminated with the CF₃ group at the one end and the phenyl group at the opposite end. These dienes were found to be sufficiently reactive to undergo Diels-Alder condensation with active dienophiles to give trifluoromethylated carbocycles. The reactions of CF₃CHClBr with allylheterocycles were less successful and lead to low yields of mixtures of hardly separable compounds or to polymeric resins.     

Palladium-catalyzed alkylation of 1,4-dienes by C-H activation

Activated: the title reaction proceeds with a broad range of nucleophiles and variously substituted 1,4-dienes under mild conditions, and provides direct access to the corresponding 1,3-diene-containing products with high regio- and stereocontrol (see scheme; 2,6-DMBQ=2,6-dimethylbenzoquinone, EWG=electron-withdrawing group). This is the first catalytic allylic C-H alkylation that proceeds in the absence of sulfoxide ligands.