Conformational analysis of 2,3,5,6-tetrakis(methylene)bicyclo[2.2.2]octanes by circular dichroism.

The variable temperature CD spectra of (+)-(7R)-7-deuterio- and (+)-(7S)-7-methyl-2,3,5,6-tetrakis(methylene)bicyclo[2.2.2]octane suggest single energy minimum hypersurfaces with eclipsed bicyclic skeletons and planar dienes whereas that of (?)-(2R)-5,6,7,8-tetrakis-(methylene)-2-bicyclo(2.2.2]octanol is consistent with a twisted structure.     

Polyesters containing bicyclo[2.2.2]octane and bicyclo[3.2.2]nonane rings

Polyesters containing bicyclo[2.2.2]octane and bicyclo[3.2.2]nonane rings are prepared from 1,4-bis(carboethoxy)bicyclo[2.2.2]octane, 1,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)bicyclo[2.2.2]-octane and the 1,5-disubstituted bicyclo[3.2.2]nonane analogs. These polyesters are compared to the related polymers containing 1,4-phenylene and trans-1,4-cyclohexylene rings in terms of their melting point, thermal stabilities and oxidative stabilities. The lower symmetry of the bicyclo[3.2.2]nonane ring produces lower-melting polymers than the other ring systems. The remaining three rings are approximately equivalent in their effect on the melting point of a polymer provided that no more than one bicyclo[2.2.2]octane ring is present per polymer repeat unit. Two such rings produce a highermelting polymer than any other combination. Both the thermal and oxidative stabilities of the polyesters is improved by the presence of the bicyclo rings. This is attributed to the rings providing an approximation of a ladder polymer.     

Manifestations of the Alder-Rickert reaction in the structures of bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene and bicyclo[2.2.2]octene derivatives

The Alder-Rickert ethylene extrusion reaction manifests in the ground state structures of compounds 9-12 which contain the bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene moiety and compounds 13, 14, and 17-20 which contain the bicyclo[2.2.2]octene moiety. A significant decrease of the 13C-13C one-bond coupling constants for the C-C bonds, which break in this fragmentation reaction, suggests lengthening, and hence weakening of these bonds. In the unsymmetrical systems these effects are also shown to be associated with strengthening of the CH2-CH2 bond, which is ultimately lost from the molecule as ethylene. Low-temperature crystal structures of compounds 9-12 and 16 provide evidence for similar crystal packing requirements of the CH2-CH2 and CH=CH moieties.     

The 7,8-epoxy-2,3,5,6-tetrakis(methylene) bicyclo[2.2.2]octane; synthesis and diels-alder reactivity

The preparation of 7,8-epoxy-2,3,5,6-tetrakis(methylene)bicyclo[2,2,2] octane (5) is described. Evidence for transannular interaction between the homoconjugated s-cis-butadiene functions in 5 is found in the UV absorption spectrum. The Diels-Alder addition of 5 to tetracyanoethylene (TCE) is syn-regioselective and leads to the monoaducts 16:17 (85:15). The dienes 16,17 are less reactive than 5 toward TCE. anti-regioselectivity (leading to exo-2, endo-3-bis(chloromethyl)-5,6-bis(methylene)-syn-7,8-epoxybicyclo[2.2.2]octaves (25) is observed in the double elimination of HCl from the syn-7,8-epoxy-exo-2,endo-3,exo-5,endo-6-tetrakis(chloromethyl)bicyclo[2.2.2]octane (11), precursor of 5. The structures of the regioisomers 16,17 were confirmed spectroscopically and chemically. Elimination of HCl from the chloromethyl groups in 26 (TCE adduct of 25) and HCN from the TCE adducts 16, 17 and 26 can be induced by CsF in DMF.     

Intermediacy of bicyclo[2.2.1]hepteneone in the photolysis of bicyclo[2.2.2]octenediones

UV Irradiation of cyclohexane solution of bicyclo[2.2.2]octenediones led to facile extrusion of carbon monoxide to give substituted dihydrobiphenyls along with the dehydrogenated products. The inseparable mixtures on DDQ oxidation afforded the biphenyl derivatives. Isolation of an intermediate arising from the initial monodecarbonylation lends support to a proposed mechanistic rationalization.     

The electronic structure of bicyclo [2.2.1] heptane and of bicyclo [2.2.2] octane

An ab initia SCF-LCAO-MO study of bicyclo [2.2.1] heptane(I) and of bicyclo [2.2.2] octane(II) has been performed. The electronic structure and the nature of the molecular orbitals and of the bonds have been analyzed. Interactions between fragment orbitals may be recognized. The bridgehead C-H bonds interact dominantly “through-space” in I and “through-bond” in II. Some relations between electronic structure and molecular properties are discussed.     

Synthesis of novel spiro-cyclohexene bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives

A methodology for the synthesis of novel spiro-cyclohexene bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives, including Claisen rearrangement and ring-closing metathesis (RCM) as key synthetic steps, is described.     

Synthesis of bridgehead hydroxy bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives

Two independent synthetic routes, starting from 1,3-cyclohexadione, toward the 4-hydroxy bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,6-dione derivative 3 are described.     

Efficient bioreduction of bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,5-dione and bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene-2,5-dione by genetically engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A screening of non-conventional yeast species and several Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast) strains overexpressing known carbonyl reductases revealed the S. cerevisiae reductase encoded by YMR226c as highly efficient for the reduction of the diketones 1 and 2 to their corresponding hydroxyketones 3-6 (Scheme 1) in excellent enantiomeric excesses. Bioreduction of 1 using the genetically engineered yeast TMB4100, overexpressing YMR226c, resulted in >99% ee for hydroxyketone (+)-4 and 84-98% ee for (-)-3, depending on the degree of conversion. Baker's yeast reduction of diketone 2 resulted in >98% ee for the hydroxyketones (+)-5 and (+)-6. However, TMB4100 led to significantly higher conversion rates (over 40 fold faster) and also a minor improvement of the enantiomeric excesses (>99%).     

Scalable synthesis of enantiomerically pure bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene ligands

An operationally simple and scalable synthesis of enantiomerically pure bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene (bod*) ligands relying on an organocatalytic one-pot Michael addition-aldol reaction with cheap 2-cyclohexenone and phenylacetaldehyde is presented. The crystalline bicyclic product 4a (6-hydroxy-5-phenylbicyclo[2.2.2]octan-2-one) is transformed into phenylbicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-en-2-one 2, a versatile starting material for the 2-step synthesis of both symmetrical, such as Hayashi's Ph-bod* ligand, as well as novel unsymmetrical chiral dienes.     

Synthesis of crownophane with the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane core

Russian Chemical Bulletin -     

Domino retro Diels-Alder/Diels-Alder reaction: an efficient protocol for the synthesis of highly functionalized bicyclo[2.2.2]octenones and bicyclo[2.2.2]octadienones

A novel and convenient approach, the domino retro Diels-Alder/Diels-Alder reaction sequence for highly stereo- and regioselective synthesis of various bicyclo[2.2.2]octenone and bicyclo[2.2.2]octadienone derivatives is presented. Thus, the masked o-benzoquinones (MOBs) 2a-e generated by the pyrolysis of the respective dimers 3a-e participated in this novel synthetic strategy with a variety of olefinic and acetylenic dienophiles at 220 degrees C to provide the title compounds in good to excellent yields.     

Retro-Diels-Alder reaction using bicyclo[2.2.2]octatriene-fused pyrrole during porphyrin synthesis

Porphyrin synthesis using 4,7-etheno-4,7-dihydro-2H-isoindole and tripyrranedicarbaldehyde gave a porphyrin derivative bearing no bicyclo[2.2.2]octatriene moiety as well as the targeted bicyclo[2.2.2]octatriene-fused porphyrin.