Chemoselective ethylene acetalization of α, β-unsaturated vis-à-vis saturated carbonyl groups

The difficulties which in the past have precluded controlled acetalization of an α,β-unsaturated ketone functionality in the presence of a saturated carbonyl group can be overcome simply by making recourse to 2,4,6-collidinium p-toluenesulfonate as catalyst.     

Selective Hydrolysis of Thioacetals with Thallium(III) Nitrate

In connection with research at present being pursued in these laboratories we required quantities of thioacetal (1) for study. Reaction of Wieland-Miescher ketone (2) with one equivalent of 1,2-ethanedithiol gave only (3) resulting from reaction at the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl group. The structure for (3) was deduced primarily from C n. m. r. which showed a saturated carbonyl absorption (δ212.6)¹. The preferential reaction of 1,2-ethanedithiol with α,β-unsaturated ketone     

Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of Unsaturated Ketones and Imides via Ammonium Formate

Ammonium formate in acetic acid in presence of Pd-C catalyst efficiently converts open chain α,β-unsaturated ketones and cyclic enones to their saturated ketone analogues. The system converts enimides to saturated imides. An unsaturated non-conjugated cyclic dienone was also reduced by this system.     

Gold-mediated synthesis of α-ionone

A simple and convenient synthesis of α-ionone, an important component of flowers and fragrances, is reported. The key step in the formation of the α,β-unsaturated ketone moiety involves an NHC-Au^I catalyzed Meyer-Schuster-like rearrangement of readily prepared propargylic esters. The complex [{Au(IPr)}₂(μ-OH)][BF₄] proved to be the most efficient catalyst leading to α-ionone in 70% yield from a propargylic benzoate. This optimized procedure represents a valuable and attractive alternative to classical methods leading to α,β-unsaturated ketones, such as the Wittig or aldol reactions.     

Lewis acid-catalyzed Meyer-Schuster reactions: methodology for the olefination of aldehydes and ketones

In principle, the most efficient and atom-economical means of converting an aldehyde or ketone into the homologated α,β-unsaturated ester is through addition/rearrangement sequences involving acetylenic π-bonds (Scheme 1). Implementation of such a strategy for the synthesis of α,β-unsaturated esters is presented: addition of ethoxyacetylene followed by scandium(III) triflate-catalyzed Meyer-Schuster rearrangement reaction. Stereoselectivities range from good to excellent in the formation of disubstituted α,β-unsaturated esters from aldehydes (Table 3). The two-stage olefination of even the most hindered ketones proceeds with near perfect efficiency (Table 4).     

Abnormal Ito-Saegusa oxidation of TIPS enol ether assisted by a hydroxy group on a side chain

Although Ito-Saegusa oxidation gives defined α,β-unsaturated ketones from silyl enol ether of ketones controlled by the position of the sp² carbon of the silyl enol ether, the formation of a regioisomeric product that was oxidized abnormally was observed. The structural requirements for the substrates, the conditions, and a plausible mechanism are presented.     

The high pressure mediated intramolecular diels-alder reaction of furans: Factors controlling cycloaddition with monoactivated dienophiles.

The Intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions of furans possessing a 2-alkyl substituent with a terminal α,β-unsaturated ketone have been surveyed. The consequences of varying the degree of substitution of the furan, the bridging chain length, and position of the activating group on the dienophile upon the ease and stereochemistry of cycloaddition are reported.     

Charged states of α,ω-dicyano β,β'-dibutylquaterthiophene as studied by in situ ESR UV-vis NIR spectroelectrochemistry

The influence of the molecular structure on the stabilization of charged states was studied in detail by in situ ESR UV-vis NIR spectroelectrochemistry at a novel α,ω-dicyano substituted β,β'-dibutylquaterthiophene (DCNDBQT) and the electrochemically generated cation and anion radicals have been proved for the first time. The voltammetry of DCNDBQT results in two separate oxidation steps with the reversible first one. The experimental absorption maxima at 646 and 1052 nm together with the calculated ones (by DFT method) as well as an ESR signal at the first anodic step prove the presence of a radical cation. Three additional optical bands (554, 906, and 1294 nm for CT-transition) can be attributed to the formation of cation radical dimer. The dicationic structure formed in the second oxidation step is not stable. The stabilization proceeds via a dimer formation in two chemical follow-up reactions. The existence of the dimeric structures was proved by ex situ MALDI TOF mass spectrometry. As the substitution by cyano groups opens the route to cathodic reductions, DCNDBQT shows a single quasi-reversible reduction step. Here, the in situ ESR UV-vis NIR spectroelectrochemical measurements and theoretical calculations let us confirm the electrochemical generation of an anion radical. As we found a low number of anion radicals by quantitative ESR spectroelectrochemistry and an appearance of additional bands in the UV-vis NIR absorption spectra, the formation of dimeric structures must be considered and was corroborated by mass spectrometry. The role of dimerization in the reaction mechanism of the DCNDBQT oxidation and reduction are discussed in general. The experimental results were interpreted using the quantum chemical calculations based on density functional theory.     

Total synthesis of (±)-anatoxin-a via N-acyliminium intermediates

(±)Anatoxin-a has been synthesized in 8 steps, starting from succinimide, 4-bromo-1-butene and dimethyl (2-oxopropyl)phosphonate, by employing as the key step an intramolecular reaction of an N-acyliminium precursor with an α,β-unsaturated ketone moiety, induced by saturated HCl in MeOH at −50°C.     

Synthese d'aziridines N-non substituees par reduction de sels d'hydrazonium

Z and E N,N,N-trimethylhydrazonium iodides from α,β-unsaturated cyclohexenones are reduced in good yields into saturated aziridines or α,β-unsaturated aziridines by sodium bis (2-methoxy ethoxy) aluminium hydride. Partly hydrolysed hydride leads to reverse proportions of saturated and α,β-unsaturated aziridines.     

Synthesis of novel indenoquinolines and indenopyridazines via photoisomerization of benzotropolone derivatives

We describe the photoisomerization of hetero Diels-Alder adducts of tetramethylpurpurogallin bearing β,γ-unsaturated ketone chromophores and endocyclic -N-O- or -N-N- groups. Based on spectroscopic and crystallographic data, our results indicate that the outcome of the reaction for the two types of substrates can be correlated with the difference in the stabilities of the radical intermediates generated in each case. For oxazines, the photoisomerization involves both the β,γ-unsaturated ketone and -N-O- moieties, and proceeds through the formation of allyl, benzoyl, phenyl, and α-carbonyl radical intermediates. While the same allylic and benzoyl radicals are formed in adducts with an -N-N- group, the hydrazine does not participate in the reaction and the product is a simple rearrangement of the initial intermediate.     

Diol desymmetrization as an approach to the synthesis of unsymmetrical dienyl diesters

The tandem oxidation/Wittig olefination of unactivated diols utilizing manganese dioxide produces α,β-unsaturated hydroxy esters in high yields in a highly effective desymmetrization process. The formation of small quantities of the corresponding lactones suggests that the reaction may proceed through a lactol intermediate in some cases. The α,β-unsaturated hydroxy esters are transformed into symmetrical or unsymmetrical dienyl diesters using a second oxidation/Wittig olefination sequence mediated by PCC.     

Synthesis of 3-substituted indole by AlCl3-promoted reaction of β,γ-unsaturated ketone with indole

A one-pot Lewis acid-promoted reaction condition of β,γ-unsaturated ketone with indole was developed for the synthesis of 3-substituted indoles with moderate to good yields. A Lewis acid such as AlCl₃ was shown to be a promising promoter for in situ isomerization of β,γ-unsaturated ketone to its corresponding α,β-unsaturated ketone, then undergoing Friedel–Crafts Michael addition reaction with indole to afford 3-substituted indole.     

Conjugate Addition of Alkyllithium Reagents to α,β-Unsaturated N,N',N'-Trimethylhydrazides

The site of nucleophilic attack by an alkyllithium reagent upon an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound is governed by, among other factors, the nature of the group attached to the carbonyl.¹ Thus the amount of carbonyl addition decreases in favor of conjugate addition for the α,β-unsaturated series: aldehyde, ketone, ester, amide. We wish to report that α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid trimethylhydrazides, which have an exceptionally unreactive carbonyl group², undergo exclusive conjugate addition with simple alkyllithium reagents.³ Furthermore, the derived hydrazide lithium enolates can be transformed in convenient and useful ways.     

Studies on organophosphorus compounds: XVIII. Synthesis and reactions of α-sulfonylphosphonates

A new facile synthetic method for the preparation of α-sulfonylphosphonates based on the phosphorylation of carbanion derived from sulfones bearing an active methylene group was described. Condensation of the resulting sulfonyl phosphorus ylides with aldehyde or ketone in situ gives α,β-unsaturated sulfones with satisfactory yields.     

Mechanism of oxidation of α,β-unsaturated thiones by singlet oxygen

Photo-oxidation of α,β-unsaturated thiones yields the corresponding ketones as the only product. Studies carried out on three systems, namely thioketones, α,β-unsaturated thiones and thioketenes, have revealed that there exists a similarity in their mechanism of oxidation. It has been suggested that the thiocarbonyl chromophore is the site of attack by singlet oxygen in α,β-unsaturated thiones and that the adjacent C-C double bond is inert under these conditions. Absence of sulphine during the oxidation of α,β-unsaturated thiones is attributed to the electronic factors operating on the zwitterionic/diradical intermediate. While α,β-unsaturated ketones are poorly reactive, α,β-unsaturated thiones are highly reactive toward singlet oxygen.     

Easy α-alkylation of ketones with alcohols through a hydrogen autotransfer process catalyzed by RuCl2(DMSO)4

The electrophilic α-alkylation of ketones with alcohols is accomplished by a hydrogen autotransfer process catalyzed by RuCl₂(DMSO)₄. The reaction can produce either simple alkylated ketones or α,β-unsaturated ketones just by choosing the appropriate starting ketones (methyl ketones or bicyclic methylenic ketones, respectively), as well as quinolines (by using 2-aminobenzyl alcohol derivatives) or the corresponding alcohol derivatives by the addition of an extra equivalent of the initial alcohol. In the last case, after the above alkylation process reduction of the carbonyl compound takes place. A mechanistic study seems to indicate that the process goes through the oxidation of the alcohols with ruthenium (after a previous deprotonation) to yield the corresponding aldehyde and a ruthenium hydride intermediate. In turn, the aldehyde suffers a classical aldol reaction with the starting ketone to form the corresponding α,β-unsaturated ketone, which finally is reduced through a Michael-type addition by the aforementioned ruthenium hydride intermediate.     

Reaction of poly(vinyl chloride) with superoxide anion

Reaction of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with superoxide anion was carried out in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at 40°C in a nitrogen atmosphere. Remarkable changes in infrared (IR) spectra of the samples treated with superoxide anion were observed in the following regions: ca. 3300, 1680, 1620, and 765 cm^?1, which suggested the formation of hydroxyl groups, α,β-unsaturated ketone groups, and ethylenic structures. Ultraviolet–visible spectra also showed the formation of polyene structures. The content of chlorine in the polymer decreased and that of oxygen increased with reaction time. The reaction mechanism was discussed on the basis of these results.     

First direct evidence of radical intermediates in samarium diiodide induced cyclization by ESR spectra

The mechanism of samarium diiodide (SmI(2))-induced cyclization of α,β-unsaturated esters and ketones to bicyclic compounds was examined using ESR spectroscopy. This is the first report of direct evidence of the radical intermediates in the SmI(2) reaction. The preferential reduction of the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl part in some substrates should be recognized as a main route.     

A tandem oximation-cyclization route to Δ-isoxazolines

3,5-Disubstituted Δ²-isoxazolines can be prepared from the corresponding β,γ-unsaturated ketones by treatment with hydroxylamine hydrochloride and sodium hydroxide. Evidence indicates that the mechanism of this reaction involves the formation of three intermediates; oximation of the ketone, rearrangement of the alkene, and intramolecular Michael addition of the resulting α,β-unsaturated oxime.