Insertion of cyclopropanes between a carbonyl carbon and an α-carbon of carbonyl compounds with cyclopropylmagnesium carbenoids

The reaction of the lithium enolates of α-aryl carbonyl compounds with cyclopropylmagnesium carbenoids, derived from 1-chlorocyclopropyl p-tolyl sulfoxides with i-PrMgCl at low temperature, resulted in the formation of β-aryl carbonyl compounds bearing a cyclopropane ring at the α-position with one-carbon homologation in variable yields. The reaction was found to be highly stereospecific with respect to the stereochemistry of the cyclopropylmagnesium carbenoids. Mechanism and origin of the stereospecificity of the reaction are also discussed. This is the first example for the insertion of cyclopropanes in between a carbonyl carbon and an α-carbon of carbonyl compounds.     

α-Metallated vinyl carbanionoids: II. Preparation and stability of vinyllithiums containing triorganostannyl groups on the α-carbon atom

The influence of intramolecular coordination and solvent effects on the formation and stability of α-stannylvinyllithium reagents RR′CC(Li)SnMe₃ (R′ = H, alkyl, aryl) has been investigated; intramolecular coordination via a 5-membered ring is particularly effective. Mechanisms for the isomerisation and thermal decomposition of RR′CC(Li)SnMe₃ are discussed, and multinuclear NMR data (¹¹⁹Sn, ¹³C and ¹H) for these species are presented.     

Photochemical Chlorination of α,α-Difluoroanisole

Chlorination of ,-difluoroanisole was performed. The yield of chlorodifluoromethoxybenzene was studied in relation to the mode of reaction initiation.     

A neighbouring group effect leading to enhanced nucleophilic substitution of amines at the hindered α-carbon atom of an α-hydroxyphosphonate

Diethyl α-hydroxy-benzylphosphonate undergoes nucleophilic substitution with primary amines of sufficient reactivity at around 100 °C to afford the corresponding α-aminophosphonates. The substitution can be enhanced by microwave irradiation. The reaction takes place with surprising ease due to the neighbouring group effect of the PO moiety as was justified by DFT calculations carried out to evaluate the mechanism of the substitution under discussion.     

α-thiocyanation of carbonyl compounds: A review

The α-thiocyanation of carbonyl compounds is one of the most important processes in synthetic organic chemistry. These compounds are important precursors for the production of various biologically important heterocyclic compounds and other industrially important products. Ammonium thiocyanate (NH₄SCN) is a key reagent for the production of such a class of thiocyanate intermediates. In addition to the inherent efficiency issues, there are also environmental concerns that need to be addressed. Therefore, in recent years considerable advances have been made for the synthesis of α-thiocyanation of carbonyl compounds with high selectivity and yield. In this review, we have summarized various methods for the synthesis of α-thiocyanation carbonyl compounds.     

Photochemical behaviour of polyacryloylacetone;and polyethylacrylacetate monolayers at the air–water interface

The surface organization of enol units of polyacryloylacetone (PAA) and polyethylacrylacetate (PEAA) monolayers at the air–water interface is examined using surface pressure, surface potential and rheological measurements and theoretical calculations based on molecular models. The mechanism and kinetics of the photochemical enol–keto tautomerization of PAA and PEAA polymers organized in a monolayer of closely packed monomer units are studied by measuring the surface area increase at constant surface pressure. The results indicate an increase in the area per unit during the consecutive enol-to-keto photoconversion and the slow interfacial reorganization of these ¶forms to a more favourable state.     

Total synthesis and properties of prostaglandins 30. Modification of (1S,5R)-2-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]-6-octen-3-one at the α-carbon atom

Derivatives of -alkyl-, -alkylidene-, and -hydroxymethylene-2-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]-6-octen-3-one were obtained. The possibility of functional substitution of the bicyclic -lactones at the position to the carbonyl group was thereby demonstrated.For Communication 29, see [1].Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 12, pp. 1621–1630, December, 1991.     

13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. XV—the γ-anti substituent effect and its dependence on substitution at the α- and γ-carbon atom

It is shown that the γ_α effects of hetero substituents on the ¹³C chemical shift (γ_α SCS) are enlarged by +2 to +5 ppm by substituting the α-hydrogen atom by any group or atom (e.g. CH₃, OR, F, Cl, Br). The same is encountered when the axial γ-hydrogen is replaced by CH₃, OH or F. If, however, the substituting atom at the γ_α-carbon atom is a higher-row halogen (Cl or Br), diamagnetic γ_α SCS for this signal are observed which may even exceed those for unsubstituted γ_α-carbon atoms. The removal of a 1,3-diaxial hydrogen-hydrogen interaction and the existence of a still unspecified ‘heavy halogen effect’–both diamagnetic contributions to the γ_γ SCS of hetero substituents–are responsible for these findings. Methyl groups do not behave like hetero substituents with respect to the γ_α SCS.     

Photochemical reactivity of α,β-unsaturated δ-lactams: Synthesis of seco-steroids. Photochemical reactions. XIII [1]

The UV. irradiation of 17 β-hydroxy-2-aza-4-androsten-3-one (1) , N-methyl-17 β-hydroxy-2-aza-4-androsten-3-one (3) , 17 β-hydroxy-4-aza-5 β-androst-1-en-3-one (2) and N-methyl-17 β-hydroxy-4-aza-5 β-androst-1-en-3-one (4) , gives rise to 1,10-seco (from 1 and 3 ) and 5, 10-seco (from 2 and 4 ) steroids.     

Photochemical Rearrangement of a Steroidal α,β-Epoxylactone. Photochemical reactions,XI [1]

The UV. irradiation of 17β-acetoxy-4α, 5α-epoxy-2-oxaandrostan-3-one ( 7 ) yields 17β-acetoxy-2-oxa-10(5 → 4)abeo-4ζ (H)-androsta-3,5-dione ( 11 ). A non-photochemical synthesis of 11 , proceeding in lower yield, is also described.     

Photochemical Rearrangement of a Steroidal α, β-Epoxylactam. Photochemical reactions,XII [1]

The UV. irradiation of 17β-hydroxy-4α, 5α-epoxy-2-azaandrostan-3-one ( 1 ) yields 17β-hydroxy-2-aza-10 (5 → 4-abeo)-4ζ (H)-androsta-3,5-dione ( 3 ).     

Electron impact studies on α,β-unsaturated carbonyl oximes

Electron impact studies on eight α,β-unsaturated carbonyl oximes revealed many interesting hydrogen and skeletal rearrangements which were substantiated by deuterium labelling, exact mass measurements and metastable studies. Loss of H· and OH· as well as formation of the indenyl and fluorenyl cations and the [C₉H₆N]⁺ fragment proceed through cyclic intermediates. All the ionized oximes undergo a Beckmann rearrangement in the gaseous phase leading to intense aroyl cation peaks. Formation of the styrene radical ions and cleavage of the bond α to the oxime function have also been noticed.     

Polymerization photoinitiated by carbonyl compounds. IV. α-diketones and α-substituted alkanones

The photoinitiation efficiency of the free-radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate and styrene by several carbonly compounds has been determined. The compounds considered were α-substituted ketones and α-dicarbonyl compounds. For the ketones, the initiation efficiency employing methyl methacrylate depends on the α substitution; the values obtained change from less than 10^?3 (acetone) to 0.65 (3-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-butanone). All ketones are more efficient towards methyl methacrylate than styrene. This result can be explained in terms of triplet quenching by the last monomer. The results obtained employing α-dicarbonyl compounds do not conform to a simple pattern. In particular, benzil shows a considerably larger efficiency towards styrene than for methyl methacrylate. Since benzil is efficiently quenched by styrene, the initiation must involve the interaction of an excited benzil molecule and the monomer.     

Zwitterionic adducts from addition of imines to the α-carbon atom of pentacarbonyl(vinylidene)chromium and -tungsten complexes

Imines, Im, such as MeN=C(Ph)H (5), 2-methyl 4,5-dihydrothiazole (8a), 2-methyl 4,5-dihydrooxazole (8b) and MeN=C(OMe)Me (13) add to the α-carbon atom of the vinylidene ligand in [(CO)₅Cr=C=CMe₂] (4) to give isolable zwitterionic adducts, [(CO)₅Cr⁻–C(=CMe₂)(Im⁺)]. The reaction of [(CO)₅W=C=CPh₂] (12) with 13 also yields an adduct, [(CO)₅W⁻–C(=CPh₂){NMe=C(OMe)Me}⁺] (15), whereas from the corresponding reaction of 4 with xanthylideneimine, H–N=C(C₆H₄)₂O (16), a carbene complex, [(CO)₅Cr=C(i-Pr)–N=C(C₆H₄)₂O] (17), is obtained. Complex 17 presumably is formed by initial addition of 16 to 4 and subsequently rapid rearrangement. In solution, the adduct [(CO)₅Cr⁻–C(=CMe₂)(NMe=C(Ph)H)⁺] (6) slowly cyclizes to form the 2-azetidin-1-ylidene complex [(CO)₅Cr= Me₂] (7). In contrast, when solution of those zwitterions are heated that are formed by addition of 4,5-dihydrothiazole or 4,5-dihydrooxazole to 4, no cyclization is observed but rather the formation of 4,5-dihydrothiazole and 4,5-dihydrooxazole complexes, respectively. The structures of two adducts, [(CO)₅Cr⁻–C(=CMe₂)(Im⁺)] (Im=MeN=C(Ph)H, 2-methyl 4,5-dihydrothiazole) and of the substitution product [(CO)₅W(2-methyl 4,5-dihydrothiazole)] have been established by X-ray structural analyses.