Interception of a Rautenstrauch Intermediate by Alkynes for [5+2] Cycloaddition: Rhodium-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of 3-Acyloxy-4-ene-1,9-diynes to Bicyclo[5.3.0]decatrienes

Rholling in the bicycles: A rhodium(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization for the synthesis of bicyclic compounds containing a cycloheptatriene ring from linear alkenynes (see scheme; cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene) is proposed to proceed through 1,2-acyloxy migration, 6?π electrocyclization, migratory insertion, and reductive elimination. The overall process can be viewed as a novel intramolecular [5+2] cycloaddition with concomitant 1,2-acyloxy migration.     

Asymmetric oxidopyrylium-alkene [5+2] cycloaddition: a divergent approach for the synthesis of enantiopure oxabicyclo[5.4.0]undecanes

A Chiron approach to the synthesis of enantiomeric oxabicyclic adducts 16 and 32 has been developed employing an intramolecular [5+2] cycloaddition of 3-oxidopyrylium with unsaturated sugars.     

Vapor deposition polymerization of heteroatom-bridged [2.2]paracyclophanes: 1,9-dithia[2.2]paracyclophane and 1,9-dithia[2.2]paracyclophane-1,1,9,9-tetroxide

1,9-Dithia[2.2]paracyclophane-1,1,9,9-tetroxide ( 3 ) was synthesized as white needles in a high yield from 1,9-dithia[2.2]paracyclophane ( 2 ) by oxidation with m-chloroperbenzoic acid, and its molecular structure was determined with single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Vapor deposition polymerizations of 2 and 3 gave amorphous and brittle polymer films along with considerable amounts of nonpolymeric byproducts. A polymer film from 2 was a copolymer of p-(phenylene-methylenesulfide) with p-(phenylene-methylene) units, and a polymer film from 3 was a homopolymer of p-(phenylene-methylene) units with head-to-tail, head-to-head, and tail-to-tail placements. The elimination of sulfur atoms in 2 and sulfone units in 3 took place during their pyrolysis reactions. Plausible mechanisms for vapor deposition polymerizations of both cyclophanes are proposed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1892–1900, 2001     

Formal [6+3] cycloaddition of fulvenes with 2H-azirine: a facile approach to the [2]pyrindines system

2H-Azirine reacts with fulvenes to give either alkylated fulvene azirines (ultrasound) or the formal [6+3] cycloaddition adducts (Lewis acid). The later constitutes an efficient and novel route to [2]pyrindines.     

Base-catalyzed Povarov reaction: an unusual [1,3] sigmatropic rearrangement to dihydropyrimidobenzimidazoles

A novel base-catalyzed Povarov reaction of arylamines, aldehydes, and electron-deficient dienophiles has been developed. An unprecedented in situ [1,3] sigmatropic rearrangement leading to 4,10-dihydropyrimido[1,2-a]benzimidazoles has also been discovered. An insight of the plausible mechanism is discussed and supported by X-ray crystal study. This cascade reaction is achieved in a one-pot multicomponent fashion on soluble support under microwave conditions.     

Intermolecular transition metal-catalyzed [4 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions: a new approach to the construction of eight-membered rings

Transition metal-catalyzed cycloaddition reactions represent powerful methods for the construction of complex polycyclic systems. We have developed a new intermolecular metal-catalyzed [4 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of heteroatom-tethered enyne derivatives with 1,3-butadiene. This study demonstrates that excellent selectivity can be obtained for the heterocycloaddition adducts through the judicious choice of silver salt. The development of the tandem rhodium-catalyzed allylic substitution [4 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition provides a convenient three-component coupling that circumvents the prior formation of the enyne derivative. Finally, the introduction of a stereogenic center at C-2 leads to a diastereoselective cycloaddition, which provides a powerful new method for the construction of bicyclic octanoid ring systems applicable to target directed synthesis.     

DFT study on [4+2] and [2+2] cycloadditions to [60] fullerene

The functionalisation of C₆₀ fullerene with 2,3-dimethylene-1,4-dioxane (I) and 2,5-dioxabicyclo [4.2.0]octa-1(8),6-diene (II) was investigated by the use of density functional theory calculations in terms of its energetic, structural, field emission, and electronic properties. The functionalisation of C₆₀ with I was previously reported experimentally. The I and II molecules are preferentially attached to a C—C bond shared and located between two hexagons of C₆₀ via [4+2] and [2+2] cycloadditions bearing reaction energies of ?15.9 kcal mol^?1 and ?72.4 kcal mol^?1, respectively. The HOMO-LUMO energy gap and work function of C₆₀ are significantly reduced following completion of the reactions. The field electron emission current of the C₆₀ surface will increase after functionalisation of either the I or II molecule.     

Enantioselective intramolecular [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of 1,4-diene-ynes: a new approach to the construction of quaternary carbon stereocenters

The intramolecular [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of various 1,4-diene-ynes was examined using a chiral rhodium catalyst. In the case of 1,4-diene-ynes with a substituent at the 2-position of the 1,4-diene moiety, tricyclic compounds possessing a strained bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene skeleton with two quaternary carbon stereocenters were obtained in high enantiomeric excess. On the other hand, in the case of 1,4-diene-ynes with no substituent at this position, bicyclic cyclohexa-1,3-dienes with a quaternary carbon stereocenter were obtained probably by carbon-carbon bond cleavage of the reaction intermediate.     

Palladium-catalyzed [3+2] intramolecular cycloaddition of alk-5-ynylidenecyclopropanes: a rapid,practical approach to bicyclo[3.3.0]octenes

Readily accessible hex-5-ynylidenecyclopropane derivatives cycloisomerize to bicyclic five-membered carbocycles upon heating with catalytic amounts of a palladium complex.     

Synthesis of crossed [2 + 2] photocycloadducts: a novel approach to the synthesis of bridged bicyclic alkenes

[reaction: see text] A solution to the synthesis of "crossed" intramolecular [2 + 2] photocycloadducts has been achieved. Through the use of a temporary heteroatom linker, the equivalent of a crossed photocycloadduct can be accessed at the expensive of the normal "straight" adduct. Selectivity as high as 94:6 for the "crossed" adduct has been observed.     

9,9-diphenyl-1,9,10,10a-tetrahydro-2H-phenaleno[1,9-bc]pyrans

Reaction between some naphtho[2,1-b]pyrans and 1,1-diphenylethene affords 9,9-diphenyl-1,9,10,10a-tetrahydro-2H-phenaleno[1,9-bc]pyrans.     

Synthesis of phenaleno[1,9-bc]thiophene

The cyclization of 2-acetonylthionaphthalene, prepared from 2-mercaptonaphthalene (1) and chloro-acetone in the presence of sodium hydroxide, with polyphosphoric acid gave 1-methylnaphtho[2,1-b]thiophene (4) in 64% overall yield from 1. By bromination with N-bromosuccinimide, 4 was converted in 40% yield into l-bromomethylnaphtho[2,1-b]thiophene (8) . Treatment of 8 with potassium cyanide in a phase-transfer medium gave l-cyanomethylnaphtho[2,1-b]thiophene (10) in good yield. Compound 10 was reduced to the corresponding aldehyde 11 and then cyclized with polyphosphoric acid to phenaleno[l,9-bc]thiophene (12) in 24% overall yield from 10.     

A [2+2+2]-cyclotrimerization approach for the synthesis of enantiopure isochromans using a carbohydrate derived dialkyne template

An easy access to enantiopure isochromans through cross alkyne trimerization of a glucose derived dialkyne was developed. One of the synthesized isochromans was converted into a novel tricyclic nucleoside by simple transformations.     

Diels-Alder approach to biaryls: elucidation of competing tandem [2+2] cycloaddition/[1,3] sigmatropic shift pathway

Reaction of 2-halo-6-nitrophenylacetylene with an electron deficient diene gives rise to a [4+2] cycloaddition/cycloreversion biaryl product and a bicyclo[4.2.0]octadiene resulting from a competing [2+2] cycloaddition pathway. The cyclobutene can be opened to give a mixture of cyclooctatriene and biaryl in varying amounts depending on heat and light exposure. The conversion of the cyclobutene into biaryl occurs through a [1,3] sigmatropic carbon shift followed by [4+2] cycloextrusion of ethylene gas.     

Investigation of the scope of a [3+2] cycloaddition approach to isoxazole boronic esters

The [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of nitrile oxides and alkynylboronates provides direct access to a wide variety of isoxazole boronic esters. Specifically, this technique has been employed to generate trisubstituted isoxazole 4-boronates and disubstituted isoxazoles where the boronic ester moiety can be installed at C-4 or C-5 with high levels of regiocontrol. The application of this methodology in the synthesis of non-steroidal antiinflammatory agents is also described.