Retro [2 + 2 + 2] ring opening in tricyclobutabenzene derivatives. Thermochemistry and reaction barriers. A theoretical hybrid density functional study

The starting materials, transition states, and products of the concerted retro [2 + 2 + 2] ring-opening reactions of several tricyclobutabenzene derivatives substituted by double-bonded substituents were calculated at the B3LYP/6-31G theoretical level. It was found that the geometries of the products (cyclododecatriyne derivatives) are governed by the electronegativity of the substituents and hyperconjugation effects. The transition-state geometries of all the derivatives are similar. It was found that the retro [2 + 2 + 2] ring-opening reactions are endothermic (ca. 30-85 kcal mol(-1), depending on the substituents) with high barriers, ranging between ca. 95 and 115 kcal mol(-1). It is predicted that the tricyclobutabenzene derivatives under study will be stable when prepared and that they can be made by [2 + 2 + 2] intramolecular ring closure of the respective cyclododecatriyne derivative, especially with the use of transition metals as mediators or catalysts.     

Photocycloaddition Reactions of Alkyl and Aryl 2‐Thioxo‐3H‐benzoxazole‐ 3‐carboxylates to Alkenes

The photochemical reactions of alkyl and aryl 2‐thioxo‐3H‐benzoxazole‐3‐carboxylates 1 have been examined. Irradiation of 1 in the presence of tetra‐ and trisubstituted alkenes 2a and 2b , 2‐methylprop‐2‐ene nitrile 2e , and dienes 2f and 2g gave [2+2] cycloadducts of the CS bond of 2‐thioxobenzoxazoles and the CC bond of alkenes, spiro[benzoxazole‐thietanes] 3, 4, 8 – 13, 15, 18, 20, 23 – 26 in moderate‐to‐good yields. The photoaddition reactions proceed in a regiospecific manner. The spirocyclic compounds obtained are indefinitely stable at room temperature. Irradiation of 1a in the presence of 1,1‐ and 1,2‐disubstituted alkenes 2c and 2d yielded the products 5 – 7 of oxazole‐ring cleavage. Compound 1d also underwent photoaddition with alkenes to yield spiro[benzoxazole‐thietanes] and/or 2‐substituted benzoxazoles and/or iminothietanes, depending on the nature of the substituents present in the alkenes. On intramolecular [2+2] photoadduct, tetracyclic 27 , was obtained, when ethenyl 2‐thioxobenzoxazole‐3‐carboxylate 1e was irradiated.     

Enantioselective Template‐Directed [2+2] Photocycloadditions of Isoquinolones: Scope,Mechanism and Synthetic Applications

A strategy for the enantioselective [2+2] photocycloaddition of isoquinolones with alkenes is presented, in which the formation of a supramolecular complex between a chiral template and the substrate ensures high enantioface differentiation by shielding one face of the substrate. Fifteen different electron‐deficient alkenes and ten different substituted isoquinolones undergo efficient photocycloaddition, yielding the cyclobutane products in excellent yields and with outstanding regio‐, diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities (up to 99 % ee). The mechanism of the reaction is investigated by means of triplet sensitization/quenching and radical clock experiments, the results of which are consistent with the involvement of a triplet excited state and a 1,4‐biradical intermediate. The variety of functionalized cyclobutanes obtained using this approach can be further increased by straightforward synthetic transformations of the photoadducts, allowing rapid access to libraries of compounds for various applications.     

Cobalt(I)-mediated preparation of polyborylated cyclohexadienes: scope, limitations, and mechanistic insight

A series of 1,3- and 1,4-diboryl-1,3-cyclohexadienes have been prepared by intermolecular CoCp-mediated [2+2+2] cocyclizations of alkynylboronic pinacolate esters with alkenes, followed by oxidative demetallation with iron(III) chloride. The effect of substitution at the borylated alkyne on chemo- and regioselectivities has been studied, suggesting steric control. The proper choice of substituents allowed the preparation of 1,3-diborylated cyclohexadienes in a highly selective manner. Alternatively, 1,4-diborylated cyclohexadienes could be prepared from diborylated diynes. The scope of this reaction has been examined and found to include electron-poor, electron-rich, linear, and cyclic alkenes. The diborylated cyclohexadienes were submitted to single or double Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions with haloarenes to afford polyarylated systems. The mechanism of the title reaction, including the regioselectivity of the cycloaddition steps, has been analyzed by means of DFT computations.     

Captodative substituent effects — Part XXXI olefins with captodative substitution in [2+2] cycloadditions

Olefins with captodative substitution are excellent partners in [2+2] cycloadditions leading to cyclobutane derivatives. The reaction rates increase with the radical stabilising power of the substituents. Thio- and selenoalkyl(aryl) substituted gemdifluoroolefins allow the synthesis of new cyclobutane derivatives.     

Quinone imines and aminophenols as precursors of new heterocycles

Cyclization of substituted quinone imines and diazabutadiene derivatives of aminophenols affords 4aH-phenoxazine or 4H-1,4-benzoxazine derivatives, which are finally transformed into the following fused heterocycles: the stable 1,4,6,8-tetra(tert-butyl)phenoxazin-10-yl radical and 7a,14a,15a, 15b-tetrahydro-14,16-dioxa-5,9-diaza-8,15-ethenohexaphene and 5a,6,11a, 12-tetrahydro[1,4]benzoxazino[3,2-b][1,4]benzoxazine derivatives. The influence of the substituents on the pathways of the reactions of intermediate benzoxazines and phenoxazines, such as oxidation, [2+4] dimerization, and the closure of the second ring, was studied. The structures of the fused heterocycles were determined by X-ray diffraction, NMR spectroscopy, and ESR. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2491–2496, November, 2005.     

A novel and efficient stereo-controlled synthesis of hexahydroquinolinones via the diene-transmissive hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of cross-conjugated azatrienes with ketenes and electrophilic dienophiles

The diene-transmissive hetero-Diels-Alder (DTHDA) reactions of cross-conjugated azatrienes (divinylimines or penta-1,4-dien-3-imines) having an N-aryl, N-alkyl, or N-dimethylamino substituent have been examined. The initial reaction of the azatrienes with diphenylketene at room temperature yielded β-lactams of [2+2] cycloadducts, which upon heating underwent [1,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement to produce the formal [4+2] cycloadducts. The reaction of N-phenylazatriene with dimethylketene or dichloroketene produced the [2+2] cycloadducts only, while the reaction of N-(dimethylamino)azatriene with dichloroketene gave the [4+2] cycloadduct without heating. When the [2+2] cycloadduct has two different vinyl substituents at C-4 of the β-lactam ring, the regioselectivity of the rearrangement depends on steric factors and the electronic demand of the substituents. The second Diels-Alder reaction of the initial [4+2] cycloadducts with electron-deficient dienophiles (TCNE, N-phenylmaleimide) stereoselectively yielded hexahydroquinolinone derivatives. Similarly, a tandem intermolecular-intramolecular mode of the aza-DTHDA reactions produced tetracyclic nitrogen-containing heterocycles in a regio- and stereoselective manner.     

Manganese(III) Acetate Initiated Oxidative Free Radical Reaction between 2-Anilino-1,4-naphthoquinones and Diethyl Malonate

A free radical reaction between 2-anilino-1,4-naphthoquinones and diethyl malonate initiated by manganese (III) acetate is described. This reaction provides a novel method for the synthesis of 5,6,11,12-tetra-hydro-6,11-dioxo-benzo[b]acridines. With a meta substituent on the anilino group, this reaction shows poor to high regioselectivity depending on the steric effect of the substituents on the anilino group and malonate.     

Palladium-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] cocyclotrimerization of benzynes with bicyclic alkenes: an efficient route to anellated 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene derivatives and polyaromatic compounds

An efficient method for the cocyclotrimerization of bicyclic alkenes and benzynes catalyzed by palladium phosphine complexes to give the corresponding norbornane anellated 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene derivatives is described. Bicyclic alkenes 1a-i undergo [2 + 2 + 2] cocyclotrimerization with benzynes generated from precursors 2a-d [2-(trimethylsilyl)phenyl triflate (2a), 4,5-dimethyl-2-(trimethylsilyl)phenyl triflate (2b), 6-(trimethylsilyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-5-indenyl triflate (2c), 4-methyl-2-(trimethylsilyl)phenyl triflate (2d)] in the presence of PdCl(2)(PPh(3))(2) in acetonitrile at ambient temperature to yield anellated 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene products 3a-r in moderate to excellent yields. The [2 + 2 + 2] cocyclotrimerization products from oxa- and azabicyclic alkenes can be applied for the synthesis of polyaromatics, substituted benzo[b]triphenylenes (8a-f), via a simple Lewis acid mediated deoxyaromatization in good yields. In addition the [2 + 2 + 2] products undergo retro Diels-Alder reaction readily, providing a new method for the synthesis of substituted phenanthrenes and for generating isobenzofurans. A plausible mechanism is proposed to account for the catalytic [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction.     

Stereochemistry of cyclobutanone resulted from cycloadditions of t-butylcyanoketene to bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene derivatives, as evidence for a π2s+π2a reaction mode

The stereochemistry of the cyclobutanones 1-7, resulted from the reaction of t-butylcyanoketene with bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene, bicyclo[2.2.1]heptadiene, 1,4 - dihydro - 1,4 - methanonaphthalene, 1,4 - dihydro - 9 - (1 - methylethylidene) - 1,4 - methanonaphthalene, 1,4 - dihydro - 1,4 - epoxynaphthalene, l,4,4a,8b - tetrahydro - 1,4 - methanobiphenylene (l,4,4a,8b) and 1,4,4a,8b - tetrahydro - 1,4 - methanobiphenylene(1,4,4aβ,8bβ) was established as having the cyclobutanone ring exo and the t-Bu group in the configuration. These findings represent a stereochemical argument in favour of a _π2_s + _π2_a reaction mode of t-butylcyanoketene to the above mentioned bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene derivatives. Observations regarding preservation of the original configurations of alkenes as well as the geometrical distorsion of the cyclobutanones are shortly discussed.     

Rhodium(I)-catalyzed [4+2+2] cycloadditions of 1,3-dienes, alkenes, and alkynes for the synthesis of cyclooctadienes

The first [4+2+2] cycloadditions involving terminal alkynes and diene-enes, including a fully intramolecular example, are reported resulting in the formation of cyclooctadienes using [RhCl(CO)2]2 (5 mol %) treated with AgSbF6 (10 mol %) as a precatalyst. The reaction is general for a variety of terminal alkynes, as well as variously substituted diene-enes (yields up to 88%).     

Studies on the Reactions of Thiocarbonyl S‐Methanides with Hetaryl Thioketones

Dihetaryl thioketones react with thiocarbonyl ylides to give 1,3‐dithiolanes in high yields. No competitive side reactions of the thiocarbonyl ylides were observed, evidencing the ‘superdipolarophilic’ character of this less‐known group of thioketones. Depending on the type of substituents present in both the thiocarbonyl ylide and the thioketone, formal [3+2] cycloadditions occur with complete regioselectivity or with formation of a mixture of both regioisomers. Regioselective formation of the sterically more crowded 1,3‐dithiolanes is explained via a mechanism involving stabilized 1,5‐biradicals. In systems with less‐efficient radical stabilization, e.g., in the case of adamantanethione S‐methanide, substantial violation of the regioselectivity was observed as a result of steric hindrance.     

Recent advances in "formal" ruthenium-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition reactions of diynes to alkenes

"Formal" and standard RuII-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition of 1,6-diynes to alkenes gave bicyclic 1,3-cyclohexadienes in relatively good yields. When terminal 1,6-diynes 1 were used, two isomeric bicyclic 1,3-cyclohexadienes 4 or 6 were obtained, depending on the acyclic or cyclic nature of the alkene partner. When unsymmetrical substituted 1,6-diynes 7 were used, the reaction with acyclic alkenes took place regio- and stereoselectively to afford bicyclic 1,3-cyclohexadienes 8. A cascade process that behaves as a "formal" RuII-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition explained these results. Initially, a Ru-catalyzed linear coupling of 1,6-diynes 1 and 7 with acyclic alkenes occurs to give open 1,3,5-trienes of type 3, which after a thermal disrotatory 6e(-) pi-electrocyclization led to the final 1,3-cyclohexadienes 4 and 8. When disubstituted 1,6-diyne 10 was used with electron-deficient alkenes, new exo-methylene cyclohexadienes 12 arose from a competitive reaction pathway.     

Intramolecular [2 + 2] photocycloaddition of alkenes incorporated in a carbohydrate template. Synthesis of enantiopure bicyclo[3.2.0]heptanes and -[6.3.0]undecanes

Intramolecular [2 + 2] photocycloaddition of alkenes with a furano sugar placed between them have been investigated under both copper(I)-catalyzed and sensitized conditions. The copper(I)-catalyzed photocycloaddition of the dienes 4a, 4b, and 4c led to unexpected formation of the thermodynamically less stable cis-syn-cis 4-5-5 tricyclic adducts 5a, 5b, and 5c, respectively. The sensitized photocycloaddition of the diene 14 also gave the cis-syn-cis adduct 15 showing that the copper(I) catalyst does not have any influence on the stereochemical course through coordination with the anomeric ring oxygen of the furano sugar. The identical stereochemical course observed under both catalyzed and sensitized photoaddition reactions have been attributed to be of steric origin. Bis(dienes) 25a and 25b, which gave an intractable mixture on copper(I)-catalyzed irradiation, underwent smooth photocycloaddition in the presence of benzophenone, and the resulting 1,2-divinyl cyclobutanes underwent spontaneous [3.3]-rearrangement at room temperature to produce bicyclo[6.3.0]undecanes 30a and 30b, respectively. This investigation provides an approach for the construction of enantiopure bicyclo[3.2.0]heptanes and -[6.3.0]undecanes.     

Synthesis of dihydrofurans containing trifluoromethyl ketone and heterocycles by radical cyclization of fluorinated 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with 2-thienyl and 2-furyl substituted alkenes

Manganese(III) acetate based radical cyclization of various fluorinated 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with 2-thienyl and 2-furyl substituted alkenes produced 3-trifluoroacetyl and 2-trifluoromethyl-dihydrofurans in good yields. The radical cyclizations of 2-methyl-5-[(E)-2-phenylvinyl]furan 2b and 2-[(E)-2-phenylvinyl]thiophene 2c led to the formations of 5-(5-methyl-2-furyl)-4,5-dihydrofuran and 5-(2-thienyl)-4,5-dihydrofuran, respectively. In the reactions of 1,3-dicarbonyls with alkenes, 2-thienyl substituted alkenes formed 4,5-dihydrofurans in higher yields than 2-furyl substituted alkenes.     

Intramolecular O-H...O hydrogen-bond-mediated reversal in the partitioning of conformationally restricted triplet 1,4-biradicals and amplification of diastereodifferentiation in their lifetimes

The photoreactivity and nanosecond transient phenomena have been investigated for a rationally designed set of ketones 4-9 in order to gain comprehensive insights concerning the influence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding on (i) the lifetimes of triplet 1,4-biradicals and (ii) the partitioning of the latter between cyclization and elimination. Comparisons of the photochemical results and lifetime data for the biradicals of ketones 6 versus 8 and 7 versus 9 revealed a remarkable influence of hydrogen bonding when superimposed upon steric factors: while 6 and 7 yielded cyclobutanols in poor yields, cyclization was found to be overwhelmingly predominant for 8-anti and moderately so for 9-anti, with a high stereoselectivity in the formation of cyclobutanols (>95% for 8-anti). The diastereochemistry in the case of 8 permitted the occurrence of fragmentation or cyclization almost exclusively (>90% cyclization for 8-anti and >75% elimination for 8-syn). Significantly, the intramolecular hydrogen bonding in the biradicals of 8 and 9 was found to reverse their partitioning between cyclization and elimination compared with the behavior of the biradicals of ketones 3; the ketones 8-anti and 9-anti underwent cyclization in benzene, predominantly leading to cyclobutanols with syn stereochemistry between the C2 and C3 substituents. In accordance with photoproduct profiles, an unprecedented approximately 2-fold difference in the lifetimes of the intermediate diastereomeric triplet biradicals of ketones 8 in nonpolar solvents (e.g., tau(syn) = 123 ns and tau(anti) = 235 ns in cyclohexane) was observed via nanosecond laser flash photolysis, while no such difference in lifetimes was found for the triplet biradicals of acetoxy ketones 9. The intriguing diastereodifferentiation in the lifetimes of the diastereomeric triplet 1,4-biradicals of 8 and the product profiles of ketones 6, 7, and 9 are best reconciled via a unified mechanistic picture in which superposition of steric factors over varying magnitudes of O-H...O hydrogen bonding selectively facilitates a particular pathway. In particular, the diastereodifferentiation in the photochemical outcomes for the diastereomers of ketone 8 and in the lifetimes of their triplet biradicals can be understood on the basis of rapid deactivation of the 8-syn triplet biradical via fragmentation and slow cyclization of the 8-anti triplet biradical from chair- and twist-boat-like hydrogen-bonded conformations, respectively. The photolysis in polar aprotic solvents such as DMSO and pyridine was found to reverse the chemoselectivity, yielding reactivity paralleling that of ketones 3, for which the steric factors between the C2 and C3 substituents control the photochemical outcome.     

Photoinduced Molecular Transformations. Part 142. One-step syntheses of 1H-benz[f]indole-4,9-diones and 1H-indole-4,7-diones by a new regioselective photoaddition of 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinones and 2-amino-1,4-benzoquinones with alkenes

The 2,3-dihydro-1H-benz[f]indole-4,9-diones 3a–d , h were formed in a one-step reaction in 13–82% yield by an unprecedented [3 + 2] regioselective photoaddition of 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinone ( 1 ) with various electronrich alkenes 2 (Scheme 1, Table). The [3 + 2] photoadducts derived from 1 with vinyl ethers and vinyl acetate gave 1H-benz[f]indole-4,9-diones 4e , f , i , in 33–72% yield, by spontaneous loss of the corresponding alcohol or AcOH from the resulting adducts; 4i has a kinamycin skeleton. The [3 + 2] photoaddition also took place on irradiation of the differently substituted amino-1,4-benzoquinones 6 , 7 , and 12 and excess alkenes 2 in benzene, giving 1H-indole-4,7-dione derivatives 13 and 14 (Scheme 3), 15a and 16 (Scheme 4), and 18 (Scheme 4), respectively. The initial products in these photoadditions were proved to be hydroquinones, the air oxidation of which yielded the heterocyclic quinones; 2,3-dihydro-2-methoxy-2-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-indole-1,4,7-triyl triacetate ( 19 ) was isolated after treatment of the crude photoaddition mixture obtained from 2-amino-5-phenyl-1,4-benzoquinone ( 7 ) and 2-methoxyprop-1-ene ( 2f ) with Ac₂O and pyridine under N₂. A pathway leading to the annelated hydroquinones involving ionic intermediates arising from an electron transfer in these photoadditions is proposed (Scheme 5).     

Imine-enamine tautomerism in dihydroazolopyrimidines. 2. Synthesis and tautomerism of 1,4(3,4)-dihydropyrimido[1,2-a]benzimidazoles

Cyclocondensation of 2-aminobenzimidazole with unsaturated ketones or the hydrochlorides of Mannich bases has yielded aromatic substituted 1,4(3,4)-dihydropyrimido[1,2-a]benzimidazoles. The dependence of the tautomer composition of the products on steric factors and on the electronic character of the substituents introduced has been studied.For Communication 1, see [1].Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 9, pp. 1215–1219, September, 1991.     

Effects of Spiro-Cyclohexane Substitution of Nitroxyl Biradicals on Dynamic Nuclear Polarization

Spiro-substituted nitroxyl biradicals are widely used as reagents for dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), which is especially important for biopolymer research. The main criterion for their applicability as polarizing agents is the value of the spin–spin exchange interaction parameter (J), which can vary considerably when different couplers are employed that link the radical moieties. This paper describes a study on biradicals, with a ferrocene-1,1′-diyl-substituted 1,3-diazetidine-2,4-diimine coupler, that have never been used before as DNP agents. We observed a substantial difference in the temperature dependence between Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectra of biradicals carrying either methyl or spirocyclohexane substituents and explain the difference using Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation results. It was shown that the replacement of methyl groups by spirocycles near the N-O group leads to an increase in the contribution of conformers having J ≈ 0. The DNP gain observed for the biradicals with methyl substituents is three times higher than that for the spiro-substituted nitroxyl biradicals and is inversely proportional to the contribution of biradicals manifesting the negligible exchange interaction. The effects of nucleophiles and substituents in the nitroxide biradicals on the ring-opening reaction of 1,3-diazetidine and the influence of the ring opening on the exchange interaction were also investigated. It was found that in contrast to the methyl-substituted nitroxide biradical (where we observed the ring-opening reaction upon the addition of amines), the ring opening does not occur in the spiro-substituted biradical owing to a steric barrier created by the bulky cyclohexyl substituents.     

Iodine atom transfer [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction with electron-rich alkenes using N-tosyliodoaziridine derivatives as novel azahomoallyl radical precursors

Treatment of N-tosyliodoaziridine derivatives with Et(3)B efficiently produces various azahomoallyl radical (2-akenylamidyl radical) species which give oxygen-functionalized pyrrolidine derivatives through iodine atom transfer [3 + 2] cycloaddition with electron-rich alkenes such as enol ethers and ketene acetal. The present cycloaddition reaction proceeds regioselectively via C-N bond cleavage of an aziridinylalkyl radical intermediate and addition of the resulting azahomoallyl radicals to the terminal carbon of an alkene. The reaction of alkenes with the cyclohexenylamidyl radical generated from an optically active bicyclic iodoaziridine [(1S,2S,6S)-2-iodo-7-(p-toluenesulfonyl)-7-azabicyclo[4.1.0]heptane, 94% ee] also proceeds to give optically active octahydroindole derivatives (84-93% ee).