Nickel-catalyzed intermolecular [3 + 2 + 2] cocyclization of ethyl cyclopropylideneacetate and alkynes

The [3 + 2 + 2] cocyclization of ethyl cyclopropylideneacetate (1a) and terminal alkynes (2) proceeded smoothly in the presence of 10 mol % "Ni(PPh3)2", which was prepared in situ from Ni(cod)2 and PPh3. The high reactivity of 1a, which was induced by the introduction of an electron-withdrawing group, is very important for the progress of this reaction. The cycloheptadiene derivatives were synthesized in highly selective manner in good yields.     

Nickel-catalyzed [4+3] cycloaddition of ethyl cyclopropylideneacetate and 1,3-dienes

The [4+3] cycloaddition of ethyl cyclopropylideneacetate (1) with 1,3-dienes proceeded in the presence of Ni(cod)₂-TOPP (tri-o-biphenylyl phosphite). The reaction provided a new method for the synthesis of cycloheptene derivatives. The mechanism of the reaction was proposed.     

Nickel-catalyzed [3+2+2] cycloaddition of ethyl cyclopropylideneacetate and diynes. Synthesis of 7,6- and 7,5-fused bicyclic compounds

The [3+2+2] cycloaddition reaction of ethyl cyclopropylideneacetate (1) and diynes proceeded in the presence of Ni(0) catalysts, and bicyclic compounds were isolated in good yields. The reaction provided a new approach to 7,6- and 7,5-fused bicyclic compounds.     

Palladium-catalyzed cycloheptatriene formation by [3+2+2] cocyclization of 2-substituted allylic alcohols and alkynes

Cycloheptatrienes were obtained by the reaction of 2-substituted allylic alcohols with alkynes in the presence of catalytic amounts of palladium complexes and p-toluenesulfonic acid.     

Ni-catalyzed [3+2+2] cycloaddition of ethyl cyclopropylideneacetate and 1,3-diynes. Application to the three-component cycloaddition

The Ni-catalyzed [3+2+2] cocyclization between ethyl cyclopropylideneacetate (1) and 1,3-diynes afforded cycloheptadiene derivatives. The three-component reaction of 1, 1,3-diynes, and alkynes proceeded with good yield and high selectivity. Scope of the substrates was studied, and the origin of chemo- and regioselectivity of the reaction is discussed.     

Nickel-catalyzed intermolecular codimerization of acrylates and alkynes

The linear codimerization of acrylates and alkynes to produce 1,3-dienes is successfully demonstrated using a nickel catalyst in association with 2-aminopyridine as an additive.     

Catalytic enantioselective intermolecular [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of an alkene and two alkynes

A catalytic enantioselective intermolecular [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of one molecule of alkene (enone) and two molecules of alkyne was developed in the presence of a nickel complex modified by chiral monodentate oxazoline ligands, which have not previously been used as chiral ligands for transition metals in asymmetric catalysts, and an aluminium phenoxide.     

Regioselective rhodium-catalyzed intermolecular [2+2+2] cycloaddition of alkynes and isocyanates to form pyridones

A highly regioselective rhodium-catalyzed intermolecular [2+2+2] cycloaddition of terminal alkynes with a variety of isocyanates to provide 2- and 4-pyridones has been developed. This reaction proceeds in good to excellent yields and overcomes the problem of dimerization and trimerization through the use of phosphoramidite ligands. A CO migration in the metallacycle is proposed to account for the formation of 4-pyridone.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 1] cocyclization of isocyanates, alkynes, and CO enables the rapid synthesis of polysubstituted maleimides

Intermolecular [2 + 2 + 1] cocyclization of isocyanates, alkynes, and CO (1 atm) proceeded smoothly in the presence of a catalytic amount of Ru3(CO)12 (3.3 mol %) in mesitylene at 130 degrees C for 3 approximately 42 h to give a variety of polysubstituted maleimides in excellent yields with high selectivity. The reaction may involve an azaruthenacyclopentenone intermediate derived from oxidative cyclization of an isocyanate and an alkyne on an active ruthenium species.     

Stereocontrolled construction of seven-membered carbocycles using a combination of Brook rearrangement-mediated [3 + 4] annulation and epoxysilane rearrangement

Reactions of delta-silyl-gamma,delta-epoxy-alpha,beta-unsaturated acylsilane with alkenyl methyl ketone enolate afford highly functionalized cycloheptenone derivatives via a tandem sequence featuring the combination of Brook rearrangement-mediated [3 + 4] annulation and epoxysilane rearrangement. The reactions using an opposite combination of three and four carbon units, in which an epoxysilane moiety was incorporated in the four-carbon unit, also give satisfactory results. Also, the possibility of chirality transfer from epoxide to remote positions via the tandem sequence using an optically active epoxide has been demonstrated.     

Synthesis of stable isoxazolines by [3+2] cycloaddition of oxaziridines with alkynes

N-Alkyl substituted oxaziridines undergo a [3+2] cycloaddition reaction with a variety of terminal alkynes to give the product isoxazolines, whose stability appears to depend on the electronic properties of the groups on the C-3 and C-5 positions. The presence of an electron withdrawing group on C-5 and/or an electron donating group on C-3 causes isomerization of the isoxazolines to β-amino enones.     

Catalytic intermolecular enal-alkyne [3 + 2] reductive cycloadditions

A catalytic, intermolecular [3 + 2] reductive cycloaddition of enals and alkynes has been developed. The method provides a nickel-catalyzed strategy for combining two simple acyclic pi-systems into a five-membered ring product by effecting a net two-electron reduction of the starting materials mediated by triethylborane as the reducing agent. The use of a protic solvent is a key feature of the process.     

Metal-free visible-light-promoted intermolecular [2+2]-cycloaddition of 3-ylideneoxindoles

The Rose Bengal sensitized intermolecular [2 + 2]-cycloaddition of 3-ylideneoxindoles for the synthesis of spirocyclic oxindoles was developed successfully under visible light irradiation conditions. The cycloaddition products were obtained in good yields (up to 93%) with excellent diastereoselectivity and regioselectivity by using a low loading of Rose Bengal (0.125 mol%) as a triplet sensitizer. This work demonstrates the potential benefits of Rose Bengal in visible light catalysis.     

Synthesis of azepines by a gold-catalyzed intermolecular [4 + 3]-annulation

A convenient gold(III)-catalyzed synthesis of azepines from the intermolecular annulation of propargyl esters and alpha,beta-unsaturated imines is reported (19 examples, 55-95% yield). This formal [4 + 3]-cycloaddition reaction is proposed to proceed via a stepwise process involving intramolecular trapping of an allyl-gold intermediate.     

[3,3] Valenceisomeric azo bridged carbocycles and cyclic hydrazones: intramolecular [3+2] cycloaddition and [4+2] cycloreversions through n-methylation1

Unsaturated azo bridged carbocycles 1, 2, 5, 8, 12, 14 and 16 can easily be methylated with Me₃OBF₄ or MeI. Depending on structural and steric requirement and the anion, the quaternary salts obtained are stable (1-Me⁺, 2-Me⁺, 5a-Me⁺, 14a/b-Me⁺, 16a/b-Me⁺ with BF_4-), undergo [4+2] cycloreversion (8a-Ne⁺, 12-Me⁺) or intramolecular [3+2] cycloaddition after intermediate deprotonation, whereby the unusual hydrazine derivatives, the cage compounds 3-H⁺ , 4-H⁺, 6-H⁺ and 11-H⁺ are formed. Systems which contain the N=N and C=C function in 1,5-positions are isomeric with their [3,3] rearrangement products, the hydrazones endo-7, endo-10, endo-15 and endo-17. Methylation of the latter provokes the same consecutive reactions as for their azo isomers. These have been demonstrated to be the crucial intermediates for the formation of cage Compound (e.g. endo-7b-Me⁺ → 5b-Me⁺ → 6-H⁺ ). Intermolecular methyl migration of quaternized azo compounds has been established, explaining the high yields of cage compounds which can be produced by the “b-series” only.