Ruthenium-mediated cycloaromatization of acyclic enediynes and dienynes at ambient temperature

The ruthenium(II) cation, [Cp*Ru(NCMe)3]OTf (4), triggers the Bergman cycloaromatization of acyclic endiynes at room temperature in THF solvent. Treatment of 1,2-di(1-alkynynyl)cyclopentenes (13-Me, alkynyl = propynyl; 13-Prn, alkynyl = pentynyl; 13-Bui, alkynyl = 4-methyl-pent-1-ynyl) with 4 in THF solvent at room temperature gives rise to the ruthenium arene complexes: [Cp*Ru{(3a,4,5,6,7,7a-eta)-2,3-dihydro-5,6-dialkyl-1H-indene}]OTf (15-Me, alkyl = methyl, 64% yield; 15-Prn, alkyl = n-propyl, 73% yield; 15-Bui, alkyl = 4-methyl-1-pentynyl, 88% yield). In a similar fashion, the room-temperature reaction of 4 with 1-ethynyl-2-(1-propynyl)cyclopentene (11) and [2-(1-propynyl)-1-cyclopenten-1-yl]trimethylsilane (14) leads to the formation of [Cp*Ru{(3a,4,5,6,7,7a-eta)-2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-1H-indene}]OTf (12, 92% yield) and [Cp*Ru{(3a,4,5,6,7,7a-eta)-2,3-dihydro-6-methyl-1H-inden-5-yl)trimethylsilane}]OTf (16, 77% yield), respectively. The bis(TMS)-substituted enediyne (1-cyclopentene-1,2-diyldi-2,1-ethynediyl)bis(trimethylsilane) (9-TMS) and 4 underwent reaction at 100 degrees C to give [Cp*Ru{(3a,4,5,6,7,7a-eta)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-5-yl)trimethylsilane}]OTf (10, 69% yield). Deuterium-labeling studies rule out a mechanism that involves a ruthenium-vinylidene intermediate, and provide support for the involvement of a p-benzyne intermediate. In a similar fashion, complex 4 is shown to trigger the cycloaromatization of the conjugated dienyne, 1-ethenyl-2-(1-pentynyl)cyclopentene (19), at room temperature in chloroform-d1 solvent to give [Cp*Ru{(3a,4,5,6,7,7a-eta)-2,3-dihydro-5-(1-propyl)-1H-indene}]OTf (20, 96% yield), with no deuterium enrichment. In the absence of ruthenium the thermal cyclization reactions of unsubstituted acyclic enediynes (Bergman cycloaromatization) and acyclic conjugated dienynes (Hopf cyclization) typically require elevated temperatures (150-250 degrees C). Complexes 10 and 15-Prn were characterized structurally by X-ray crystallography.     

A reiterative approach to 2,3-disubstituted naphthalenes and anthracenes

[reaction: see text] Simple bis(bromoethynyl)arenediynes are easily prepared by the desilylative halogenation of the corresponding trimethylsilyl derivatives. Cycloaromatization of these halogenated enediynes leads to the otherwise difficult to prepare 2,3-dibromoarenes in good yield. Alkynylation of the resulting haloaromatic compound regenerates the soluble enediyne system, homologated by one aromatic ring. This iterative methodology can be terminated by the cycloaromatization of the unsubstituted enediyne, providing the simple acene hydrocarbon.     

A transition-metal-catalyzed enediyne cycloaromatization

The pentamethylcyclopentadienyl iron cation, generated from [(eta5-C5Me5)Fe(NCMe)3]PF6, triggers the room temperature cycloaromatization of acyclic and alicyclic enediynes, in the presence of either 1,4-cyclohexadiene or terpinene as the hydrogen-atom donor, to give metal-arene products in good to excellent yields. Photolysis of the metal-arene complexes liberates the arene from the metal in excellent yield. The first demonstration of a transition-metal-catalyzed cycloaromatization of conjugated enediynes has been achieved under photochemical conditions utilizing either [(eta5-C5Me5)Fe(NCMe)3]PF6 or [(eta5-C5Me5)Fe(eta6-1,2-(Prn)2C6H4)]PF6 as the catalyst precursor. The use of a metal and light has led to a convenient method for cycloaromatization of a trans-enediyne.     

Double anionic cycloaromatization of 2-(6-substituted-3-hexene-1,5-diynyl)benzonitriles initiated by methoxide addition

[reaction: see text] Treatment of 2-((3Z)-undecene-1,5-diynyl)benzonitrile with 5 equiv of sodium methoxide in refluxing methanol for 16 h gave 1-pentyl-6-methoxyphenanthridine in 12% yield, 1-pentyl-6-phenanthridone in 6% yield, and 2-(2-pentyl-6-methoxyphenyl)benzonitrile in 4% yield. Under the same reaction conditions, methanolysis of several other benzonitriles gave similar results. Phenanthridine and biphenyl derivatives were obtained as the major products. A mechanism for this novel cycloaromatization reaction of enediynes is proposed.     

Evidence for facile atropisomerism and simple (non-nucleophilic) biradical-forming cycloaromatization within kedarcidin chromophore aglycon

The kinetics and thermodynamics of atropisomerism within the protected kedarcidin chromophore aglycon 8, as well as a series of ansa-bridged synthetic intermediates leading to 8, were determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The data show that the ratio of atropisomeric forms of chloropyridine-bridged ansa intermediates is subject to wide variation with seemingly subtle structural variation. The vinyl bromide 4, for example, in the first X-ray structure determination of a kedarcidin ansa-bridged system, was found to exist as a single atropisomer in the solid state, but a nearly equal mixture (K = 0.70) of isomers in solution (t1/2 for isomer interconversion approximately 0.2 s at 20 degrees C). The aglycon 8, a 2.2:1 mixture of atropisomers, was found to undergo direct unimolecular biradical-forming cycloaromatization at ambient temperature in a mixture of 1,4-cyclohexadiene-benzene, without nucleophilic activation. The product 9 was formed as a single atropisomer (k = 2 x 10-4 s-1, t1/2 = 58 min, 81% yield), suggesting that the rate of atropisomerism within 8 is rapid with respect to cycloaromatization. The rate of cycloaromatization of 8 was found to be highly solvent-dependent, being more rapid in the presence of a good hydrogen-atom donor, consistent with the earlier model studies of Hirama et al. that showed that certain nine-membered cyclic (Z)-enediynes may equilibrate with their biradical cycloaromatization products. Incubation of 8 with beta-mercaptoethanol, under conditions mimicking experiments leading to DNA cleavage with kedarcidin, showed no evidence for nucleophilic activation. The product of direct cycloaromatization (9) was isolated instead. The evidence suggests that kedarcidin, like the enediyne agent C-1027, is capable of spontaneous thermal biradical formation without prior chemical activation.     

Methylation with sodium naphthalenide for the analysis of substituent distribution of trimethylsilyl celluloses and their evaluation

The substitution pattern of trimethylsilyl celluloses silylated withhexamethyldisilazane and N,N-dibutylamino­trimethylsilane was determined bymethylation analysis. Methylation with sodium hydride/methyl iodide wasaccompanied by significant desilylation because sodium hydride is alwayscontaminated with sodium hydroxide. Sodium naphthalenide prepared in tetrahydrofuran under anhydrous reaction conditions alloweda reduction of the extent of desilylation to less than 10 percent. In allcases preferred silylation of the 6-position was found. Celluloses silylatedwith hexamethyldisilazane and N,N-dibutylaminotrimethylsilane had almostidentical substituent distributions. Lower reaction temperature resulted inhigher regioselectivity.     

Methoxide Promoted Anionic Cyclization of 2-Alkynylbenzonitrile:A New Synthesis of 3-Substituted Isoqunolin-1-one

The treatment of 2-(2-alkylethynyl)benzonitrile with sodium methoxide in methanol gave 3-alkyl-l(2H)-isoquinolinone in modest yield. Under the same reaction conditions methanolysis of 2-(2-arylethynyl)benzonitrile lead to the formation of 3-alkylidene isoindol-1-one. Partially hydrolysis of 2-(l-hexynyl)benzonitrile to the corresponding benzamide,followed by the treatment of the benzamide with sodium methoxide gave 3-pentylidene isoindol-1-one in 11% yield. This result suggests that benzamide is not the intermediate of the formation of isoquinolinone. The more plausible mechanism of this methanolysis process is involving the iminium anion cycloaromatization to form 2-methoxyisoquinoline and subsequent hydrolyze to isoquinolinone. In one case,2-methoxyisoquinoline product was isolated.     

Au-catalyzed cyclization of monoallylic diols

The Ph3PAuCl/AgOTf-catalyzed cyclization of monoallylic diols to form tetrahydropyrans is reported. The reactions proceed rapidly at temperatures as low as -78 degrees C with catalyst loadings as low as 0.1 mol % to provide the products in 79-99% yield. A broad range of structurally diverse substrates perform well in the reaction. When 2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyrans are produced, the reaction is highly diastereoselective for the 2,6-cis product.     

Synthesis, reactions and DNA damaging abilities of 10-membered enediyne-sulfone and related compounds

The synthesis and Myers-Saito type cycloaromatization reactions of 10-membered enediynes containing a sulfone or a sulfoxide moiety are described. These enediynes cycloaromatized smoothly under physiological conditions to generate bioactive α,3-didehydrotoluene biradicals, that showed potent DNA damaging abilities. Further, in the presence of a nucleophile such as amine or sulfide, cycloaromatization did not occur following the radical reaction pathway but ionically induced cycloaromatization took place.     

Wittig-type olefination catalyzed by PEG-telluride

Soluble poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-supported telluride 2 was designed and synthesized for catalytic Wittig-type reactions. It was found that the catalytic loading could be reduced from 20 to 2 mol % by the introduction of PEG (even to 0.5 mol % when some telluride salts were used as the catalyst). Under the catalytic reaction conditions, a wide variety of aldehydes with different structures could react with bromoacetate to afford beta-substituted or alpha,beta-disubstituted unsaturated esters in high yields with excellent E-stereoselectivity. The modified process, by using sodium bisulfite instead of triphenyl phosphite, represented a very simple product isolation procedure. The roles of PEG for promoting the ylide formation and stabilizing the catalytic species were disclosed. The mechanism was also studied.     

1,5-Dimethyl-4-phenylimidazolidin-2-one-derived iminic glycinimides: useful new reagents for practical asymmetric synthesis of alpha-amino acids

New 1,5-dimethyl-4-phenylimidazolidin-2-one-derived acyclic chiral iminic glycine reagents have been prepared and diastereoselectively alkylated with activated alkyl halides and electrophilic olefins in the presence of lithium chloride under (a) strong bases (LHMDS, KOBu(t)) and low temperature (-78 degrees C) conditions, (b) solid-liquid phase-transfer catalysis reaction (LiOH, TBAB, -20 degrees C) conditions, and (c) in the presence of organic bases (DBU, BEMP, TMG, -20 degrees C). In the case of dielectrophiles C- and N-alkylation takes place to afford heterocyclic derivatives. Hydrolysis of alkylated products has been carried out (a) in two-step procedures with LiOOH or LiOH followed by acidic hydrolysis or Dowex purification, (b) in one single-step under refluxing water to give the corresponding alpha-amino acid, (c) in the presence of DBU in methanol to provide N-protected alpha-amino acids methyl esters, or (d) by a protection-hydrolysis procedure to afford N-Boc-protected alpha-amino acids. The chiral imidazolidinone has generally been recovered in good yield. This methodology has been shown to be useful for the synthesis of acyclic and heterocyclic (S)- and (R)-alpha-amino acids.     

4 + 2] cycloaromatization of 4-bis(methylthio)-3-buten-2-one with active methylene ketones: a simple and facile phenol annulation

A new method for beta-phenol annulation involving base-induced [4C + 2C] cycloaromatization of readily available 4-bis(methylthio)-3-buten-2-one with a variety of cyclic and acyclic active methylene ketones has been reported. Appropriate choice of ketones allows synthesis of diverse frameworks such as dihydroindan, tetrahydronaphthalenes, their higher homologues, dihydro/octahydrophenanthrenes, anthracene, and heteroannulated analogue in high yields with regiocontrol of phenolic functionality.     

1,3-Diastereocontrol in acyclic radical allylations

The radical allylation of an acyclic α-hydroxyketone with allyltributyltin under chelation-controlled conditions is reported. Several reaction conditions were explored, including radical initiators, solvents, and temperatures to improve the yield and the diastereomeric ratio. Some Lewis acids, like magnesium bromide etherate and zinc chloride, gave superior diastereomeric ratios (up to 100:1) and good yields.     

POCl3-mediated H-bonding-directed one-pot synthesis of macrocyclic pentamers, strained hexamers and highly strained heptamers

Previously we have shown that POCl3-mediated H-bonding-directed one-pot macrocyclization allows for the highly selective preparation of five-residue macrocycles as the predominant product with low yields of hexamers and an undetectable occurrence of both tetramers and heptamers.Replacing the interiorly arrayed methyl groups with ethyl groups in these 4-7 residue macrocycles alters the relative stability order among them.Specifically,ethoxy-substituted six-residue macrocycle,rather than pentamer,turns out to be computationally the most stable,suggesting that ethoxy-containing hexamer possibly can be formed as the major product under suitable conditions.We have investigated this possibility by varying reaction temperatures and concentrations,invariably affording pentamer as the major macrocycle with strained circular hexamers and highly strained circular heptamers produced in substantial amounts.This discrepancy can be reasonably explained on the basis of bimolecular reactions between two oligomers higher than monomers via kinetic simulations.In this scenario,the acyclic pentamer is kinetically "trapped" to undergo an intramolecular cyclization to yield circular pentamer,rather than to produce acyclic hexamer.As a result,acyclic hexamer precursor is generated largely from sterically demanding bimolecular reactions between a dimer and a tetramer,or between two trimers that are kinetically slower than the pentamer-producing chain-growth reactions.We additionally found that one-pot macrocyclization proceeds to the largest extent at 40 ℃,an intriguing finding that highlights the low reactivities of acid chloride and amine groups in these H-bond-enforced acyclic oligomeric intermediates.     

Enhanced solid-state metathesis routes to carbon nanotubes

Ignition of three solids creates multiwalled carbon nanotubes in seconds. A solid-state metathesis (exchange) reaction between hexachloroethane (C2Cl6) and lithium acetylide (Li2C2) with 5% cobalt dichloride (CoCl2) added as an initiator produces up to 7% carbon nanotubes, as observed via transmission electron microscopy. Using the concept that sulfur can promote nanotube growth, the reaction yield can be increased to 15% by switching to CoS as the initiator. The more readily available, inexpensive calcium carbide (CaC2) can be substituted for lithium acetylide while maintaining comparable yields. Switching initiators to FeS can be used to further enhance the yield. A systematic study of the C2Cl6/CaC2 reaction system indicates that a yield up to 25% can be realized by using 6% FeS as the initiator. Reaction temperatures for the C(2)Cl6/CaC2 system of up to 3550 degrees C are calculated using thermodynamic data assuming quantitative yield and adiabatic conditions.     

Direct Synthesis of Some Oiaryl Ditellurides from Aryl Halides

The reaction of aryl halides with sodium hydrogen telluride in dimethylformamide is studied. Some diaryl ditellurides are synthesized under mild conditions by the reaction.     

Copper-catalyzed regioselective allylic oxidation of olefins via C–H activation

A regioselective oxidation of allylic C–H bond to C–O bond catalyzed by copper (I) was developed with diacyl peroxides as oxidants. The oxidation of allylic C–H bond was accomplished with good yield and regioselectivity under mild reaction conditions. This method has a broad substrate scope including cyclic olefins, terminal and internal acyclic olefins and allyl benzene compounds. The reaction proceeds by a radical mechanism as suggested by spin trapping experiments.     

Conformational control in activation of an enediyne

In the bicyclo[7.3.1]tridec-4-ene-2,6-diyne framework characteristic of calicheamicin, DFT calculations predict that the chair conformer should be much more reactive toward cycloaromatization compared to the boat form. A functionalized derivative of this framework with an added two-atom bridge to enforce the boat conformation was synthesized and shown to be stable at 23 degrees C. Cleavage of the bridge releases the conformational lock and cycloaromatization proceeds with t1/2 42.5 min/23 degrees C, presumably through the chair conformation. This confirms the prediction based on computation and points to a new principle for triggering the enediyne toxins.     

Substituent effects on the cyclization mode of 7-sulfonyl-3-hepten-1,5-diynes and 11-sulfonylundeca-3,7-dien-1,5,9-triynes

In probing of cycloaromatization of 7-phenylsulfonyl-3-hepten-1,5-diyne systems to generate biradical intermediates under an alkaline condition suggested that the aryl moiety on C3-C4 also plays an important role to switch the Myers cyclization to Schmittel cyclization in the allen-enyne system, although the aryl group on the alkyne terminus does not work in the proceeding of the cycloaromatization. For example, treatment of 1-phenyl-7-phenylsulfonyl-3-hepten-1,5-diyne (8) with triethylamine in the presence of 1,4-cyclohexadiene in benzene offered biphenyl 13 in 51% yield. Under the same reaction conditions, cyclization of 1-(2-phenylethynyl)-2-(3-phenylsulfonyl-1-propynyl) benzene (28) gave naphthalene 34 in 42% yield along with indene 35 in 32% yield. Moreover, the substituent effect also occurred in the cyclization of 11-phenylsulfonylundeca-3,7-diene-1,5,9-triyne (38), which provided indene 39 in 50% yield as the major product.     

Application of photochemical decarbonylation of cyclopropenones for the in situ generation of reactive enediynes. Construction of a cyclopropenone-containing enediyne precursor by using a cyclopropenone acetal building block

[reaction: see text] A cyclopropenone-containing enediyne photoprecursor, 6-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy-3-(alpha-hydroxybenzyl)bicyclo[8.1.0]undeca-1(10),2-diene-4-yn-11-one (1), was prepared in 10 steps by sequential modification of the cyclopropenone 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediyl acetal (5). The crucial cyclization step was achieved under Nozaki conditions, while the endocylic double bond has been introduced by the allylic rearrangement. UV irradiation of the cyclopropenone 1 results in efficient decarbonylation and the formation of the reactive enediyne 2. The latter undergoes Bergman cycloaromatization with a half-life of 12 h at 40 degrees C and in the presence of 1,4-dihydrobenzene quantitatively produces corresponding tetralin 29.