Synthesis of [ethylene-1-(eta(5)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1-indenyl)-2- (eta(5)-4',5',6',7'-tetrahydro-2'-indenyl)]titanium dichloride, the elusive isomer of the Brintzinger-type ansa-titanocenes

We present a short synthesis of 1-(2-indenyl)-2-(3-indenyl)ethane (5) and a method for its conversion to the ansa-metallocene [ethylene(eta5-inden-1-yl)(eta5-inden-2-yl)]titanium dichloride (13). The synthetic strategy applied to prepare bisindene 5 relies on the efficient alkylation of 2-(phenylsulfonyl)indane followed by HMPA-assisted E1cB-elimination of phenylsulfinate. This tandem sequence circumvents the predisposition of indene to undergo C(1)-alkylation and enables access to C(2)-substituted indenes. The key step in the synthesis of the title ansa-titanocene (4) features a previously unreported equilibration step to generate the bis(indenide anion) of 5. Complexation with TiCl4.(THF)2 followed by hydrogenation of the product metallocene furnishes ansa-titanocene 4.     

Nickel-catalyzed carboannulation reaction of o-bromobenzyl zinc bromide with unsaturated compounds

A number of indenes have been prepared in good yields by treating o-bromobenzyl zinc bromide 1 with various terminal and internal alkynes in the presence of a nickel catalyst. The nickel-catalyzed carboannulation reaction was successfully extended to the synthesis of indane derivatives by reaction of 1 with acrylates and styrene.     

An efficient enantioselective synthesis of an indane acetic acid derivative: methyl (2S)-2-[(1S)-5-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-yl]butanoate

We have developed a practical enantioselective synthesis of 1, a novel indane acetic acid derivative with two contiguous stereogenic centers. The key indene acetic acid framework was constructed via a robust, unprecedented Reformatsky process. One stereogenic center was set via a resolution, and the other via a highly diastereoselective hydrogenation of the indene acetic acid.     

Synthesis of selectively deuterated fulvenes and indenes from enediynes

A facile enediyne--> fulvene--> indene transformation provides a route to all possible isotopomers of substituted fulvenes and indenes.     

One-pot synthetic routes to multiply substituted indene derivatives by hydrolysis of zirconocene-mediated intermolecular coupling reactions of aromatic ketones and alkynes

Two one-pot multicomponent synthetic methods for highly substituted indenes are described. The intermolecular coupling of aromatic ketones with alkynes on low-valent zirconocene species generates oxazirconacyclopentenes, which upon hydrolysis with 20% HCl for 3 h afforded indene derivatives in good to excellent yields. Similarly, the pair-selective coupling of two identical or different alkynes bearing at least one aromatic substituent formed zirconacyclopentadienes. Quenching of the reaction mixture with concentrated H(2)SO(4) also results in the formation of highly substituted indenes in high yields.     

ON THE ELECTRONIC SPECTRUM OF PURINE

Abstract— Sharp absorption and emission spectra are reported for crystalline purine at 4 K. Molecular orbital calculations and correlations with pyrimidine, indene and aza-substituted indenes are used to interpret the pattern of the excited singlet states.     

Cyclopentadiene annulated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: investigations of electron affinities

The adiabatic electron affinities of cyclopentadiene and 10 associated benzannelated derivatives have been predicted with both density functional and Hartree-Fock theory. These systems can also be regarded as benzenoid polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) augmented with five-membered rings. Like the PAHs, the electron affinities of the present systems generally increase with the number of rings. To unequivocally bind an electron, cyclopentadiene must have at least two conventionally fused benzene rings. 1H-Benz[f]indene, a naphthalene-annulated cyclopentadiene, is predicted to have a zero-point energy corrected adiabatic electron affinity of 0.13 eV. Since the experimental E(A) of naphthalene is negative (-0.19 eV), the five-membered ring appendage contributes to the stability of the naphthalene-derived 1H-benz[f]indene radical anion significantly. The key to binding the electron is a contiguous sequence of fused benzenes, since fluorene, the isomer of 1H-benz[f]indene, with separated six-membered rings, has an electron affinity of -0.07 eV. Each additional benzene ring in the sequence fused to cyclopentadiene increases the electron affinity by 0.15-0.65 eV: the most reliable predictions are cyclopentadiene (-0.63 eV), indene (-0.49 eV), fluorene (-0.07 eV), 1H-benz[f]indene (0.13 eV), 1,2-benzofluorene (0.25 eV), 2,3-benzofluorene (0.26 eV), 12H-dibenzo[b,h]fluorene (0.65 eV), 13H-indeno[1,2-b]anthracene (0.82 eV), and 1H-cyclopenta[b]naphthacene (1.10 eV). In contrast, if the six-membered ring-fusion is across the C(2)-C(3) cyclopentadiene single bond, only a single benzene is needed to bind an electron. The theoretical electron affinity of the resulting molecule, isoindene, is 0.49 eV, and this increases to 1.22 eV for 2H-benz[f]indene. The degree of aromaticity is responsible for this behavior. While the radical anions are stabilized by conjugation, which increases with the size of the system, the regular indenes, like PAHs in general, suffer from the loss of aromatic stabilization in forming their radical anions. While indene is 21 kcal mol(-1) more stable than isoindene, the corresponding radical anion isomers have almost the same energy. Nucleus-independent chemical shift calculations show that the highly aromatic molecules lose almost all aromaticity when an extra electron is present. The radical anions of cyclopentadiene and all of its annulated derivatives have remarkably low C-H bond dissociation energies (only 18-34 kcal mol(-1) for the mono-, bi-, and tricyclics considered). Hydrogen atom loss leads to the restoration of aromaticity in the highly stabilized cyclopentadienyl anion congeners.     

Generation and reactivity toward oxygen of carbon-centered radicals containing indane,indene, and fluorenyl moieties

Resonance-stabilized radicals containing indane, indene, and fluorenyl moieties exhibit attenuated reactivity toward oxygen. Rate constants of approximately 10(5) M(-1) s(-1) were observed for the most stabilized radicals. The dependence of k(OX) (rate constant for radical trapping by oxygen) on the corresponding bond dissociation energies revealed that stereoelectronic effects are more important than steric effects in determining the low radical reactivity with oxygen. Scavenging by the nitroxide TEMPO was also examined, and revealed that in this case steric effects are more important than in the case of oxygen. The rate constants for the hydrogen abstraction by cumyloxyl and tert-butoxyl radicals generated thermally and photochemically have been determined in benzene, and were in the range of ca. (1-13) x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1), showing that benzylic stabilization has a modest effect on substrate reactivity as a hydrogen donor toward alkoxyl radicals.     

[1,5]-Silatropic shifts in disilyl substituted indenes: an NMR spectroscopic and computational study

The equilibrium profiles for [1,5]-silatropic shifts in a series of 1,3-/1,1-disilyl substituted indenes were studied by NMR and computational methods based on density functional theory. Both methods indicate higher activation parameters for the [1,5]-shifts than observed in monosilyl substituted indene analogues.     

A general and efficient synthesis of substituted fluorenes and heterocycle-fused indenes containing thiophene or indole rings utilizing a Suzuki-Miyaura coupling and acid-catalyzed Friedel-Crafts reactions as key steps

A general and efficient synthesis of fluorenes or heterocycle-fused indenes including 3-thia-cyclopenta[a]indenes, 9-thia-indeno[1,2-a]indenes, 5,6-dihydroindeno[2,1-b]indoles has been developed. This methodology is realized by a multistep protocol involving first preparation of ortho-formylbiaryls through Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of o-bromobenzaldehydes with arylboronic acids or the coupling of aryl halides with 2-formylbenzene boronic acid, this is followed by Grignard addition and Friedel-Crafts cyclization reactions catalyzed by Brønsted or Lewis acid to form the desired fluorene or indene rings. The method offers several advantages such as high yields, high selectivities, mild reaction conditions, easily accessible starting materials, and so on.     

Rh(I)-catalyzed reaction of 2-(chloromethyl)phenylboronic acids and alkynes leading to indenes

The reaction of 2-(chloromethyl)phenylboronic acid (1) with alkynes in the presence of a Rh(I) complex gave indene derivatives in high yields. The regioselectivity depends on the steric nature of the substituent on the alkynes. A bulky group favors the alpha-position of indenes.     

Palladium-catalyzed cycloisomerizations of diarylacetylenes: synthesis, structures, and physical properties of highly substituted naphthalenes and 8,8 a-dihydrocyclopenta[a]indenes

Depending on the electronic properties of their substituents, the major products generated by palladium‐catalyzed cycloisomerizations of diarylalkynes are either highly substituted 8,8a‐dihydrocyclopenta[a]indenes 3 or naphthalenes 4 . The structures of these compounds were verified by X‐ray crystallographic analysis. Many functional groups tolerated the reaction conditions evaluated in this study. The isotope‐labeled experiments indicated that added water has a critical role in forming both classes of compounds. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of cycloadducts 3 and their analogues were systematically studied and compared with computational predictions based on density functional theory. Dihydrocyclopenta[a]indenes 3 in either solid or liquid form display strong luminescence, whereas cyclopenta[a]indene 11 j is practically nonfluorescent. The functional groups directly attached to the backbone of compound 3 significantly influenced physical properties. The steric effect arising from the aryl substituents caused different luminescence phenomena, including aggregation‐induced and ‐enhanced emission.     

Preparation of chiral indenes containing β-pinenyl derived ligand substituents

A simple procedure for the preparation of new 1-, 2- and 1,3-chirally substituted indenes is described in which indenyllithium or 2-indenylmagnesium bromide is reacted with a β-pinenyl derived chlorosilane. Synthesis of the ethylene bridged bis(indene) analogues of two of the new compounds is also described.     

Recent Advances in the Cycloaddition Reactions of 2‐Benzylidene‐1‐benzofuran‐3‐ones,and Their Sulfur,Nitrogen and Methylene Analogues

Benzothiophene, benzofuran, indole, and indene derivatives are privileged heterocyclic motifs. These are present in a wide range of bioactive natural products and pharmaceutical drugs and are the subject of materials science research. However, the construction of benzothiophene, benzofuran, indole, and indene frameworks have been long‐standing challenges to organic chemists. In this review, we classify the derivatives of four structures synthesized from 2‐benzylidene‐1‐benzofuran‐3‐one and their analogues in terms of their ring size (from three‐ to ten‐membered) and type (fused or spiro), as well as summarizing the developments of this field. Finally, we discuss the ring opening and 1,4‐addition reactions.     

Reactions of arylacetylenic compounds with arenes in the presence of aluminum halides

Conjugated arylacetylenic ketones and aldehydes, propargyl-type alcohols, and arylacetylenes reacted with arenes in the presence of AlBr₃ or AlCl₃ as catalyst to give substituted indenes. 3-Arylpropynoic acids under analogous conditions gave rise to 3,3-diarylindan-1-ones, while the corresponding methyl esters were converted into methyl 3,3-diarylprop-2-enoates. The key intermediates in the transformations of acetylenic ketones and aldehydes and propargyl-type alcohols into indene derivatives are resonance-stabilized propargyl—allenyl cations -C≡ C-C⁺ ? -C⁺=C=C which reacted with one of the resonance structures to give isomeric indenes, depending on the substituent nature.     

Cobalt-catalyzed regioselective carbocyclization reaction of o-iodophenyl ketones and aldehydes with alkynes, acrylates, and acrylonitrile: a facile route to indenols and indenes

An efficient cobalt-catalyzed carbocylization for the synthesis of indenols and indenes and a new method for reductive decyanation are described. 2-Iodophenyl ketones and aldehydes 1a-g undergo carbocyclization with various disubstituted alkynes 2a-k in the presence of Co(dppe)I(2) and zinc powder in acetonitrile at 80 degrees C for 3 h to afford the corresponding indenol derivatives 3a-s and4a-m in good to excellent yields. For some unsymmetrical alkynes, the carbocyclization was remarkably regioselective, affording a single regioisomer. The cobalt-catalyzed carbocyclization reaction was successfully extended to the synthesis of indene derivatives. Thus, the reaction of 2-iodophenyl ketones and aldehydes (1) with acrylates H(2)C=CHCO(2)R (7a-d) and acrylonitrile H(2)C=CHCN (7e) proceeds smoothly in the presence of Co(dppe)Cl(2)/dppe and zinc powder in acetonitrile at 80 degrees C for 24 h to afford the corresponding indenes 8a-k and 9a-c in moderate to good yields. Interestingly, when 7e was employed for the carbocylization, reductive decyanation also occurred to give an indene derivative without the cyano functionality. A possible mechanism for this cobalt-catalyzed carbocyclization reaction is also proposed.     

Convenient Synthesis of Spiro[benzo[d]pyrrolo[2,1‐b]thiazole‐3,2′‐indenes] Derivatives via Three‐Component Reaction

The three‐component reaction of N‐phenacylbenzothiazolium bromides, aromatic aldehydes and indane‐1,3‐dione in ethanol at room temperature in the presence of triethylamine as base afforded functionalized spiro[benzo[d]pyrrolo[2,1‐b]thiazole‐3,2′‐indenes] in good yields and with high diastereoselectivity. The ¹H NMR data and single crystal structure clearly indicated that the obtained spiro compounds predominately have one diastereoisomer.     

Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of indane and cyclobuta[a]indenes from homoallylic alcohols derived from Baylis-Hillman adducts: base-dependent stereoselectivity for the benzylidene group in cyclobuta[a]indene

Various indane and cyclobuta[a]indene derivatives were synthesized by palladium-catalyzed cyclization of homoallylic alcohol derivatives prepared from Baylis-Hillman adducts. Especially, cyclobuta[a]indene derivative was synthesized stereoselectively by palladium-catalyzed 5-exo-trig/4-exo-trig cascade cyclization, albeit in moderate yield. The Z isomer was formed exclusively in the presence of Et₃N by usual Heck-type carbopalladation process while E isomer with Cs₂CO₃ most likely by a concerted metalation/deprotonation (CMD) process.     

Synthesis of various arylated trifluoromethyl substituted indanes and indenes,and study of their biological activity

A series of 1-trifluoromethyl substituted indanes and indenes bearing aryl groups in positions 1 and/or 3 of the indane core have been synthesized mainly by electrophilic cyclization and arylation of the corresponding trifluoromethylated allyl and propargyl alcohols. The distinctly lipophilic compounds thus obtained were tested against various components of human endocannabinoid system. None of the compounds displayed affinity toward CB₁ or CB₂ receptors. Two compounds inhibited monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) and three compounds showed inhibition of anandamide (AEA) uptake. The latter can be related to the low-micromolar inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibition displayed by one of these compounds.     

Paradigms and paradoxes: the aromaticity of 6:6 fused carbocycles and heterocycles as an extension of a study of indane and indene derivatives

Aromaticity is of continuing interest to the organic chemical community. We recently presented a model for the aromaticity of carbocyclic and heterocyclic derivatives of indane and indene, i.e. species defined as benzenes fused to 5-membered rings. The current note extends this model to related derivatives of tetralin and naphthalene, benzenes fused to 6-membered rings. Explicit species discussed herein are: benzopyran, both α- and β-tetralone, coumarin and quinoline.