2,5-Dialkyl cyclohexenones by Fe(CO)5-mediated carbonylation of alkenyl cyclopropanes: functional group compatibility

The preparation of alkenyl cyclopropanes 1 with a variety of common organic functionalities is reported. These substrates were subjected to the Fe(CO)(5)-mediated carbonylation process under a CO atmosphere, leading to the formation of 2,5-disubstituted cyclohexenones 2, important intermediates for target-directed synthesis.     

Michael addition of chloroalkyloxazolines to electron-poor alkenes: synthesis of heterosubstituted cyclopropanes

Lithiated 2-(1-chloroethyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazoline 7 adds to electron-poor alkenyl heterocycles to afford substituted cyclopropanes in excellent yields. A route to chiral nonracemic heterosubstituted cyclopropanes, starting from optically active 2-chloromethyl-2-oxazolines, is highlighted as well.     

Indium-catalyzed homo-Nazarov cyclizations of alkenyl cyclopropyl ketones

Herein, an efficient Lewis acid catalyzed protocol for the homo-Nazarov cyclizations of alkenyl cyclopropyl ketones is reported. Alkenes bearing β-hydrogens (or silyl groups) provide 1.5:1 mixtures of methylene cyclohexenols and cyclohexenones. When no β-hydrogens (or silyl groups) are present, only cyclohexenones are observed. Products are rapidly formed in good to high yields (up to 93%) under mild conditions and could be readily derivatized.     

Versatile diastereoselectivity in formal [3,3]-sigmatropic shifts of substituted 1-alkenyl-3-alkylidenecyclobutanols and their silyl ethers

A new method for the preparation of highly substituted cyclohexenones is reported. [2 + 2] Cycloaddition of 2-silyloxydienes with allenecarboxylate affords the 1-alkenyl-3-alkylidenecyclobutanol silyl ethers. Thermolysis of these compounds affords the methylene cyclohexenyl silyl ethers with excellent exo selectivity (>95:5) when monosubstituted alkenyl groups are used, while the use of disubstituted alkenyl groups gives generally low selectivity ( approximately 2:1). However, rearrangement of the anion of the cyclobutanol (prepared by acidic hydrolysis of the TMS silyl ether) at low temperature gives the endo product with good to excellent diastereoselectivity (5-23:1). Two different mechanistic rationales are given for the two different processes: the first via a diradical and the second via a cleavage intramolecular Michael addition. Thus, the same starting material (e.g., 20) can be converted into either the exo or endo product, 22x or 22n, with good diastereocontrol by just changing the rearrangement conditions.     

New strategy for convergent steroid synthesis

We published recently our results on a new and convergent synthesis of natural steroids. The strategy was based on a cycloaddition reaction of Nazarov reagents 2 and 5 with cyclohexenones 1 and 4. In this paper we report results that deal with the synthesis of two new bicyclic Nazarov reagents (13 and 19) and their cycloaddition with two cyclohexenones (1 and 4). These new results constitute an important improvement concerning the versatility of the strategy since tetracycles having the stereochemistry found in natural steroids are now available.     

Superbase-promoted rearrangement of oxiranes to cyclopropanes

Aryl- and alkenyl substituted oxiranes, when submitted to treatment with superbasic reagents, undergo a highly regio- and stereoselective rearrangement leading to cyclopropylmethanol derivatives. The process can also be applied to mono- and dihydroxy substituted substrates thus leading to polyhydroxylated cyclopropanes.     

Cobalt‐Catalyzed Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective Hydroalkenylation of Cyclopropenes with Alkenylboronic Acids

Catalytic diastereo‐ and enantioselective hydroalkenylation of 3,3‐disubstituted cyclopropenes with readily accessible alkenylboronic acids, promoted by a chiral phosphine/Co complex, is presented. Such a process constitutes the unprecedented and direct introduction of a wide range of alkenyl groups onto the cyclopropane motif to afford multisubstituted cyclopropanes in up to 95 % yield with greater than 95:5 d.r. and 99:1 e.r. Functionalization of the products delivered enantioenriched cyclopropanes that are otherwise difficult to access.     

Diastereo- and enantioselective cyclopropanation with chromium fischer carbene complexes: alkenyl oxazolines as useful achiral and chiral substrates.

The cyclopropanation reaction of chromium Fischer carbene complexes with alkenyl oxazolines has been studied in both racemic and enantioselective fashions. The oxazolinyl group acts as both electron-acceptor substituent and chiral auxiliary. Achiral (4,4-dimethyloxazolin-2-yl)alkenes derived from trans-crotonic and trans-cinnamic acids 2a,b undergo the cyclopropanation reaction to give 4a-d,g with excellent diastereoselectivity (trans/cis ratio between 93:7 and >97:3), while those derived from acrylic and metacrylic acids 2c,d give the cyclopropanes 4e,f,h with much lower selectivity (trans/cis ratio between 68:32 and 83:17). The homogeneous catalytic hydrogenolysis of 4 leads in a selective manner to 5 or 6, depending on the nature of the R3 substituent. The removal of the oxazoline moiety is achieved by carboxybenzylation/hydrolysis and ester reduction, yielding monoprotected 1,4- and 1,3-diols 9 and 11, respectively. The alkenes derived from enantiopure (S)-valinol and (S)-tert-leucinol 3 led to cyclopropanes trans-12 with high relative and absolute stereocontrol. Using tert-leucinol as the auxiliary permits attaining total facial stereoselectivity (>98% ee). Reductive cleavage of the cyclopropane ring and removal of the auxiliary afford the enriched alcohols (3S,4S)-9 and (S)-11. The stereochemical outcome of the cyclopropanation reaction is rationalized by a trans approach of the s-cis conformer of the alkenyl oxazoline to the carbene complex involving the less hindered face of the oxazoline auxiliary and the re-face of the carbene complex.     

Synthesis of (Het)aryl 2-(2-hydroxyaryl)cyclopropyl Ketones

A simple general method for the synthesis of 1-acyl-2-(ortho-hydroxyaryl)cyclopropanes, which belong to the donor–acceptor cyclopropane family, has been developed. This method, based on the Corey–Chaykovsky cyclopropanation of 2-hydroxychalcones, allows for the preparation of a large diversity of hydroxy-substituted cyclopropanes, which can serve as promising building blocks for the synthesis of various bioactive compounds.     

Diastereoselective Synthesis of Cyclopropanes from Carbon Pronucleophiles and Alkenes

Cyclopropanes are desirable structural motifs with valuable applications in drug discovery and beyond. Established alkene cyclopropanation methods give rise to cyclopropanes with a limited array of substituents, are difficult to scale, or both. Herein, we disclose a new cyclopropane synthesis through the formal coupling of abundant carbon pronucleophiles and unactivated alkenes. This strategy exploits dicationic adducts derived from electrolysis of thianthrene in the presence of alkene substrates. We find that these dielectrophiles undergo cyclopropanation with methylene pronucleophiles via alkenyl thianthrenium intermediates. This protocol is scalable, proceeds with high diastereoselectivity, and tolerates diverse functional groups on both the alkene and pronucleophile coupling partners. To validate the utility of this new procedure, we prepared an array of substituted analogs of an established cyclopropane that is en route to multiple pharmaceuticals.     

Synthesis of 2H-chromenes and 1,2-dihydroquinolines from aryl aldehydes, amines, and alkenylboron compounds

The one-step reaction of salicylaldehydes with amines and alkenyl boronic acids or alkenyl trifluoroborates to form 2H-chromenes (2H-1-benzopyrans) has been investigated in more detail and new suitable conditions have been identified, including the use of tertiary amines and protic solvents including water. This process was applied to a concise synthesis of a tocopherol analog. The analogous condensation reaction between 2-sulfamidobenzaldehydes and alkenyl trifluoroborates provides an efficient synthesis of 1,2-dihydroquinoline derivatives.     

Synthetic studies directed toward dideoxy lomaiviticinone lead to unexpected 1,2-oxazepine and isoxazole formation

In the course of studies directed toward the synthesis of dideoxy lomaiviticinone, 3-(nitromethyl)cyclohexenones 2a (X = H) and 2b (X = I) were prepared. The corresponding enolates were reacted with naphthazarin (1) and unexpectedly afforded 1,2-oxazepine 3 and isoxazole 4, respectively. Rationale for their formation is proposed.     

Simple synthesis of 1,1-bis(trifluoromethyl)cyclopropanes

A new, simple synthesis of 1,1-bis(trifluoromethyl)cyclopropanes has been discovered. It is based on the reaction of readily available 2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)thietanes with tertiary phosphines in a polar solvent, which leads to an unusual desulfurization process, resulting in the formation of 1,1-bis(trifluoromethyl)-2-alkoxy cyclopropanes. The process of the corresponding thietanes appears to be sensitive to the steric volume of the atom connected to carbon in α-position to sulfur.     

Synthesis and Reactivity of (β-Amino-α-acylalkenyl)phenyliodonium Salts

During the last few years alkenyl(phenyl)iodonium salts have risen from mere chemical curiosities to valuable synthetic intermediates. [1] Because of an excellent leaving group ability of a phenyliodonyl moiety, alkenyl(phenyl) iodonium salts undergo nucleophilic vinyl substitutions under mild conditions, thus providing a useful route for the synthesis of various kinds of olefins. Recently, some of functionalized alkenyl iodonium salts have been prepared. [2]     

Catalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Functionalized Cyclopropanes from α-Substituted Allyl Sulfones with Donor-Acceptor or Diacceptor Diazo Reagents

The catalytic asymmetric synthesis of highly functionalized cyclopropanes from α-substituted allyl sulfones and silanes is reported. The reaction, using α-aryl diazoacetates or diacceptor diazo reagents, catalyzed by a chiral rhodium complex (Rh₂((S)-BTPCP)₄), furnished the corresponding cyclopropanes in moderate to high yields (27–97 %), high diastereoselectivities (68 : 32 to 20 : 1 d.r.) and moderate to excellent ee (40–99 %). This methodology offers a privileged access to an underexplored class of enantioenriched cyclopropanes with a high level of functionality, an asset for further post-functionalization and their incorporation into more complex structure.     

Donor‐Acceptor Cyclopropanes in the Synthesis of Carbocycles

Donor‐acceptor cyclopropanes not only participate in a broad range of ring openings with nucleophiles, electrophiles, radical and red‐ox agents, but also are excellent substrates for various (3+n)‐cycloaddition and (3+n)‐annulation processes. Moreover, under treatment with Lewis acid donor‐acceptor cyclopropanes can produce new ring systems via isomerization or cyclodimerization. Authors’ contribution to the synthesis of diverse carbocycles from donor‐acceptor cyclopropanes is summarized in this account.     

Synthesis of tetrahydrocannabinols based on an indirect 1,4-addition strategy

The synthetic procedure presented for the preparation of the title compounds requires 1,4-addition of bulky cuprates to cyclohexenones and subsequent reaction with electrophiles. However, the enolates generated by BF(3).OEt(2)-assistance suffer from lack of nucleophilicity. To circumvent this problem, we developed an indirect method consisting of the following three steps: (1) iodination of the cyclohexenones at the alpha position; (2) BF(3).OEt(2)-assisted 1,4-addition of cuprates (Ar(2)Cu(CN)Li(2), Ar = aryl) followed by quenching the enolates with water; (3) reaction of the alpha-iodo-beta-aryl-cylohexanones thus formed with EtMgBr to generate magnesium enolates. The enolates thus generated in this way showed a high reactivity toward ClP(O)(OEt)(2) to furnish enol phosphates. The aforementioned procedure was also applied to a synthesis of optically active Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol. In addition, a naphthalene analogue of the latter compound was also synthesized in a similar way.     

The homologous conjugate addition of thiols to electron-deficient cyclopropanes catalyzed by a calcium(II) complex

The synthesis of γ-sulfanyl malonates was achieved through the addition of thiols to electron deficient cyclopropanes. These reactions are catalyzed by calcium acetylacetonate, Ca(acac)₂. A variety of electron rich and electron deficient thiols were added without the need for prior activation or exogenous base. The thiol additions to donor–acceptor cyclopropanes bearing electron-rich and electron-deficient aromatic and heteroaromatic groups proceeded in good to excellent yields.     

Facile and Convenient One-pot Synthesis of 1,1-Disubstituted Cyclopropanes in Water

A facile and convenient one-pot synthesis method of substituted cyclopropanes in water has been developed.A series of 1,1-disubstituted cyclopropanes 3 were synthesized from the reaction of β-dicarbonyl compounds 1 with 1,2-dibromoethane 2,in very high yields catalyzed by tetrabutylammonium bromide(TBAB) at 50 oC in the presence of K2CO3 in water.The catalyst TBAB in the aqueous phase can be reused after the separation of organic products.     

Enantioselective synthesis of cyclohexenone derivatives by a chemicoenzymatic approach: stereo- and regioselective route to potential intermediates of compactin (ML 236B) and mevinolin

As a synthetic application of the chiral monoester 2, prepared by pig liver esterase (PLE)-catalyzed hydrolysis of the corresponding meso diester 1, conversion of 2 into various cyclohexenone derivatives was examined. This paper describes the preparation of the isomeric cyclohexenones 6 and 7, potential intermediates for the synthesis of anti-hypercholesmic compactin (ML 236B) and mevinolin, under stereo- and regioselective control.