Generation and Trapping of Triafulvene

Substituted methylidenecyclopropanes 12a – d , being easily available from 1,1-dibromo-2-(phenylthio)-cyclopropane ( 9a ), are attractive precursors of triafulvene (2-methylidene-1-cyclopropene; 1 ). Both the sulfoxide 12b and the sulfone 12c react with an excess of alkoxides (t-BuOK and NaOMe) to give 12e and 12f , respectively, while the sulfinyl group of 12b may be replaced by the PhCH₂S substituent in the presence of PhCH₂SH/t-BuOK. These reactions (Scheme 4) may be explained by assuming 1 as a reactive intermediate, although an alternative sequence including carbene 20 (Scheme 6) is not completely ruled out. D -labelling experiments (Scheme 5) do not give conclusive evidence due to D scrambling, but deprotonation/methylation sequences show that H? C(2) of 12a – c is the most acidic proton. Final evidence for 1 results from the reaction of 12d with cyclopentadienide (Scheme 7): the reaction of 1 with cyclopentadiene produces the expected [4 + 2]-cycloaddition product 23 , while some mechanistic insight results from the sequence 12d → 24 → 25 .     

Studies on t-BuOK-catalyzed Michael addition of 1,2-allenic ketones with 2-substituted diethyl malonates: highly selective synthesis of β,γ-unsaturated enones

In this paper, we have demonstrated a facile nucleophilic addition of 2-substituted diethyl malonate to various substituted 1,2-allenic ketones to afford β,γ-unsaturated enones using a catalytic amount of t-BuOK as the base. The reaction usually completes within 10 min in acetone at room temperature. The stereoselectivity of the reaction with γ-substituted allenic ketones is very high affording the β,γ-unsaturated E-enones.     

Highly efficient total synthesis of Δ-PGJ2, 15-deoxy-Δ-PGJ2, and their analogues

Palladium-catalyzed reaction of TBS ether of 4-cyclopentene-1,3-diol monoacetate (>95% ee) with an anion derived from methyl malonate and a base such as t-BuOK and LDA proceeded highly efficiently and reproducibly. The product obtained in >90% isolated yield was transformed in five steps into the key cyclopentenone possessing the α-chain at the γ position. Aldol reaction of this enone with the ω-chain aldehyde afforded the aldol adduct, and exposure of the derived mesylate to Al₂O₃ furnished the cross-conjugated dienone of the full structure. Finally, functional group manipulation furnished Δ¹²-PGJ₂ efficiently. Similarly, 15-deoxy-Δ^12,14-PGJ₂, 5,6-acetylene analogues, and a 5,6-dihydro analogue were synthesized.     

Preparation of Polymer-Supported Chiral 1,2-Diamine as an Efficient Ligand for Asymmetric Hydrogenation Catalyst

An enantiopure 1,2-diamine having two phenolic hydroxy groups was synthesized, and attached to chloromethylated poly(styrene) through a benzyl ether linkage. The polymer-supported Ru precatalysts were prepared from the polymeric chiral 1,2-diamine and RuCl₂/BINAP complex. In the presence of t-BuOK the polymeric catalyst system worked well in asymmetric hydrogenation of aromatic ketones in a mixed solvent of 2-propanol and DMF. The insoluble polymeric catalyst was readily separated from the reaction mixture and reused at least several times without loss of the catalytic activity.     

Studies on the Synthetic Usefulness of the Nitro Function. Part I. A Novel Cyclopentenone Ring Annelation

A novel cyclopentenone ring annelation reaction is described. The treatment of the nitro compound 13 with aqueous sodium hydroxide in the presence of a phase-transfer catalyst furnished 14a in one step. Similar treatment of 7 led to 8 , the reaction of which with t-BuOK afforded 9a without purification in high yield.     

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 .     

Synthesis of 4- and 6-substituted nitroindoles

Enolizable ketones react with m-nitroaniline in the presence of strong base such as t-BuOK to give 4- and 6-substituted nitroindoles. The reaction proceeds via oxidative nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen in m-nitroaniline with enolate anions in positions ortho to the amino group giving anionic σ^H adducts that are additionally stabilized by intramolecular interaction between the amino and the carbonyl group. Spontaneous oxidation of the σ^H adducts followed by the Bayer type condensation of the produced ortho-aminonitrobenzyl ketones gives 4- and 6-substituted nitroindoles. The scope of this reaction and its basic mechanistic features are discussed.     

Tricarbonyl-chromium complexes of benzannelated cycloproparenes

Reaction of 1H-cyclopropa [b]naphthalene ( 1a ) or 1H-cyclopropa[b]anthracene ( 10a ) with tris(acetonitrile)tricarbonylchromium affords cyclobutanaphthalenone and cyclobutaanthracenone 2 and 11 , respectively. In contrast, the bis-silylated Cycloproparenes 1b and 10b undergo complexation at the terminal benzene ring and lead to the arene-tricarbonylchromium complexes 4b and 12 , respectively. Desifylation of 4b to 4a is effected by t-BuOK.     

The Influence of solvent and crown polyethers on the nucleophilic reactivity of potassium tert-Butylperoxide,potassium tert-Butoxide,and some other oxygen bases

The rates of reaction of t-BuOOK, t-BuOK, n-BuOOK, and p-MeC₆H₄OKwith p-nitrophenyl diphenylphosphinate 1 and with p-nitrophenyl benzoate 2 have been measured in toluene both in the absence and in the presence of crown polyether dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6 3a . The rates of nucleophilic displacementon 1 by HOO^?, t-BuOO^?, and some “nonalpha” oxyanions in water have also been determined. Solvent transfer from water to toluene results in increasing the nucleophilic reactivity of the t-butyl hydroperoxide anion. Rate ratios Q_Qa are given which allow one to estimate the enhanced reactivity of t-BuOO^? (an α-nucleophile) compared to oxygen nucleophiles of comparable base strength toward 1 and 2 . These are for substrate 1 , Q_α (water) ? 6.5 and Q_α (toluene) ? 2.7; for substrate 2 , Q_α (water) ? 5.5 and Q_α (toluene) ? 5. The hypothesis is advanced that solvation is not a major factor in determining the α-effect of the t-butylhydroperoxide anion.     

Generation and Trapping of Cyclopropenes from 2-Alkoxy-1,1-dichlorocyclopropanes

In presence of crown ether, 2-alkoxy-1,1-dichlorocyclopropanes react with t-BuOK/THF preferentially via ring opening to 2-chloroalk-2-en-1-ones and alkynones or to chlorocyclopropenes. The latter may be intercepted with 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran, but in the absence of trapping agent, the rearrangement to vinylcarbenes does not occur.     

Intramolecular Diels-Alder Reaction of Furans with Allenyl Ethers Followed by Phenylthio and Trialkylsilyl Groups Rearrangement

A new reaction involving an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of a furan diene with an allenyl ether dienophile followed by phenylthio group rearrangement was discovered. Treatment of the propargyl ethers 2a-c with t-BuOK in t-BuOH at 85 ° C gave the phenylthio group rearrangement products 5a-c and 6a-c . A reaction involving an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of a furan diene with an allenyl ether dienophile followed by trialkylsilyl group rearrangement is also demonstrated.     

Synthesis of Tricyclic (λ5)-Phosphoranes; unusual N-demethylation/N-alkylation reactions during the oxidative addition of hexafluoroacetone and tetrachloro-ortho-benzoquinone to benzodiaza-λ3-phosphorinones. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of various products

The reaction of methylisatoic acid anhydride 1 with benzylamines led to the N-benzyl-N′-methylanthranilamide derivatives 2 – 4 . Their reaction with phosphorus trichloride furnished the 2-chloro-1-halobenzyl/benzyl-3-methyl-4(1 H)-1,3,2-benzodiazaphosphorin-4-ones 5 – 7 which, upon reaction with bis-(2-chloroethyl)ammonium chloride/triethylamine, were converted into the P-bis-(2-chloroethyl)amino-1-halobenzyl/benzyl-3-methyl-4(1 H)-1,3,2-benzodiazaphosphorin-4-ones 8 – 10 and 12 . With 2-chloroethylammonium chloride/triethyl-amine the P? NHCH₂CH₂Cl-substituted compound 11 was obtained from the P^IIICl-species 6 . The reaction of 8 – 10 and 12 with hexafluoroacetone (HFA) took an unusual course: apart from the oxidative addition of HFA and formation of the perfluoropinacolyl ring system, one of the two CH₂CH₂Cl groups was found to alkylate the CH₃N atom with formation of a five-membered (diazaphospholane) ring in the tricyclic phosphoranes 13 – 16 . The reaction of 11 with HFA also produced a spirophosphorane 17 which involved a λ⁵-oxazaphosphetidine ring system. In the reaction of 8, 10 and 12 with tetrachloro-o-benzoquinone, an oxidative addition reaction with concomitant N-alkylation and formation of the tricyclic phosphoranes 18 – 20 was found to take place. Single crystal X-ray structure determinations are described for the phosphoranes 13, 14 and 16 , and for the precursor compound 9 . The following features are common to the isostructural compounds 13 and 16 and the diethyl ether hemisolvate of 14 : the (λ⁵)-spiro phosphorus atom lies out of the plane of the other atoms of the rings to which it is common, and the dioxaphospholane rings display a twist conformation. In the λ³P-compound 9 the phosphorus atom also lies out of the plane of the other ring atoms.     

Ruthenium(II) <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-heterocyclic Carbene Complexes in the Transfer Hydrogenation of Ketones

Six ruthenium-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes (2–7) have been prepared and the new compounds characterized by C, H, N analyses, ¹H-n.m.r. and ¹³C-n.m.r. The reduction of ketones to alcohols via transfer hydrogenation was achieved with catalytic amounts of complexes (2–7) in the presence of t-BuOK.     

The role of palladium catalyst and base in stereoselective transformations of (E)-2-chlorovinylsulfides

Stereoselective transformations of 2-chlorovinylsulfides in the presence of soluble (t-BuOK) or insoluble (solid KOH or Cs₂CO₃/18-crown-6) base and palladium catalyst (dppb)Pd(OAc)₂ have been studied. Depending on the substrate or catalytic system, the reaction leads to the formation of (E)-1,2-bis[aryl(or arylmethyl)thio]ethenes and/or (E)-1,4-bis[aryl(or arylmethyl)thio]-1-buten-3-ynes in yields of up to 93%.     

Nickel-catalyzed synthesis of 9-monoalkylated fluorenes from 9-fluorenone hydrazone and alcohols

A practical protocol was disclosed for the nickel-catalyzed C-alkylation of 9-fluorenone hydrazone with alcohols using t-BuOK as the base, and 9-monoalkylated fluorene derivatives were obtained in good yields under the benign conditions.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of 2,3‐Dihydropyrroles by Ring‐Opening/Cyclization of Cyclopropyl Ketones Using Primary Amines

The asymmetric ring‐opening/cyclization of cyclopropyl ketones with primary amine nucleophiles was catalyzed by a chiral N,N′‐dioxide/scandium(III) complex through a kinetic resolution process. A broad range of cyclopropyl ketones and primary amines are suitable substrates of this reaction. The corresponding products were afforded in excellent enantioselectivities and yields (up to 97 % ee and 98 % yield) under mild reaction conditions. This method provides a promising access to chiral 2,3‐dihydropyrroles as well as an effective procedure for the kinetic resolution of 2‐substituted cyclopropyl ketones.     

The first and efficient synthesis of some of the polyhalogenated benzobarrelenes: unusual formation of a benzosemibullvalene derivative

New polyhalogenated benzobarrelenes were synthesized in good yields. The bromination reaction of benzobarrelenes at high temperature gives non-rearranged products. Dehydrobromination of the formed products with t-BuOK yielded the desired polyhalogenated benzobarrelenes. The elimination reaction of cyclopropanoid dibromide with a base unusually resulted in the formation of a benzosemibullvalene derivative.     

Synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocycles. 8. Preparation and ring-opening of spiro[cycloalkane-[1′,2′,4′]triazolo[1′,5′-c]pyrimidine] derivatives

Diaminomethylene- and aminomethylthiomethylenehydrazones [2] of cyclic ketones 1–8 readily reacted with ethoxymethylenemalononitrile to give spiro[cycloalkane-1,2′-[1,2′,4′]triazolo[1,5′-c]pyrimidine-8′-carbonitrile] derivatives 12–19 through the electrocyclic reaction of the initially formed condensation products 26 in moderate to high yields. The spiro[cyclopentanetriazolopyrimidine] derivatives underwent ring-opening at the cycloalkane moiety upon heating in solution to give 2-alkyl-5-substituted-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine-8′-carbonitriles 20–23 . When an alkyl substituent was introduced into the cyclopentane ring, cleavage of the spiro compounds occurred preferentially at the cyclopentane moiety between the spiro carbon and the more branched one. In contrast, the cyclohexane ring, especially of spiro-5-amino-triazolopyrimidines 17 and 18 strongly resisted to ring-opening under similar conditions, but those of 5-methylthiotriazolopyrimidines 14 gave up to 17 percent of cleavage after prolonged heating in hot ethanol. 2-t-Butyl-5-methylthio-2,3-dihydro[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine-8-carbonitrile 25 [R³ = C(CH₃)₃] was highly susceptible to the cleavage even at room temperature and produced the corresponding 2-unsubstituted triazolopyrimidine 24 with loss of the t-butyl group.     

Syntheses of Cyclopropyl Silyl Ketones

The synthesis of the cyclopropyl silyl ketones 1 – 4 is described. The trimethylsilyl ketone 1 was prepared from geraniol ((E)- 5 ) in ca. 10% overall yield by cyclopropanation leading to 6 , CrO₃ oxidation to the aldehyde 8 , reaction of the latter with trimethylsilyl anion to 14A + B , and CrO₃ oxidation to 1 . Also for the (t-butyl)dimethylsilyl ketones 2 – 4 , an efficient four-step synthesis with overall yields of 48%, 85%, and 13%, respectively, was elaborated, starting from the allylic alcohols (E)- 5 , and 23 . The method of preparation involves as the key step a Wittig rearrangement of the silylallyl ethers ((E/Z)- 20 , 24 ) to the silyl alcohols ((E/Z)- 21 , 25 ), subsequent cyclopropanation ( 19A + B , 22A + B , 26 ), and oxidation to the cyclopropyl silyl ketones 2 – 4 .     

Cu(II) bromide catalyzed oxidation of aldehydes and alcohols

A variety of aromatic, aliphatic and conjugated aldehydes and alcohols were transformed to the corresponding carboxylic acids and ketones with a quantitative conversion in high yields with 70% t‐BuOOH solution in water in the presence of catalytic (5 mol%) amounts of CuBr₂ under room temperature conditions. The conversion of 4‐methoxybenzaldehyde to 4‐methoxybenzoic acid is extremely facile in MeCN at ambient temperature in the presence of 5 mol% CuBr₂ and 2 equiv. 70% t‐BuOOH (water) as the oxidant. Oxidation with t‐BuOOH (water) alone in MeCN was found to be negligible. The scope of our catalytic system is applicable for a wide range of aromatic, conjugated and aliphatic substrates. These aldehydes were converted to the corresponding carboxylic acids in good isolated yields in reasonable times. It is pertinent to mention here that mild halogenic oxidants like hypochlorites, chlorites and NBS are not suitable for substrates with electron‐rich aromatic rings, olefinic bonds and secondary hydroxyl groups. Substitutions at different positions on the phenyl ring do not hinder the reaction, although the reaction time is affected. Oxidation of α,β unsaturated derivatives resulted in the formation of the expected acid in good yield. In addition, the transformation of secondary alcohols to ketones is extremely facile. No recemization was observed for menthone. This method possesses a wide range of capabilities since it can be used with other functional groups which may not tolerate oxidative conditions, involves fairly simple method for work‐up, exhibits chemoselectivity and proceeds under ambient conditions. The resulting products are obtained in good yields within reasonable time. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.