Bicyclic allenes : Generation and trapping of 6,7-benzobicyclo [3.2.1] octa-2,3-diene

Treatment of 3-bromo-6,7-benzobicyclo [3.2.1] octa-2,3-diene (9) with potassium tert.-butoxide produces the strained bicyclic allene (10) which is trapped by 1,3-diphenylbenzo[c]furan (DBI) to give five isomeric cycloadducts. In the absence of DBI, allene (10) gave rise to enol ether (18) by addition of tert.-butanol.     

Relative reactivities of bicyclo[3.2.1]octa-2,3-diene and 1,2-cycloheptadiene with conjugated dienes and styrene

Bicyclo[3.2.1]octa-2,3-diene (2) and 1,2-cycloheptadiene (3), generated by treatment of the corresponding dichlorides 4 and 5 with magnesium, were found to undergo cycloaddition reactions with 2,3-dimethylbutadiene, styrene, and 1,3-cyclopentadiene. 2, but not 3, was also found to undergo a (2 + 2) cycloaddition reaction with cis-pentadiene. The relative reactivities of 2 and 3 with cis-pentadiene, 2,3-dimethylbutadiene, styrene, and 1,3-cyclopentadiene at 60° in THF were found to be: 0·18, —; 1·0, 1·0; 0·60, 7·5; and 4·0, 150.     

The bromination of bicyclo[3.2.1]octa-2,6-diene with N-bromosuccinimide

The bromination of bicyclo[3.2.1]octa-2,6-diene (3) by NBS does not follow the familiar free-radical course but proceeds through the cyclopropylcarbinyl cation 7. 7 can be trapped by addition of small amounts of methanol. The bicyclo[3.2.1]octa-2,6-dien-4-yl radical is involved in the reduction of exo-6-bromotricyclo [3.2.1.0^2,7]oct-3-ene by tributyltin hydride.     

Cyclic allene intermediates in intramolecular dehydro Diels-Alder reactions: labeling and theoretical cycloaromatization studies

A comprehensive theoretical and experimental investigation of dehydro Diels-Alder reactions examining the evolution of the cyclic allene intermediates under conditions for intramolecular and ionic and radical intermolecular cycloaromatization processes is reported. Theoretical calculations showed that the most favored intramolecular path for cycloaromatization of 1,2,4-cyclohexatriene 4 and its benzoannulated derivative 14, strained cyclic allenes, consists of a pair of successive [1,2] H shifts rather than a [1,5] shift. Cycloaromatization of cyclic allenes may follow both inter- and intramolecular pathways, depending on the experimental conditions (use of protic or aprotic solvents). For synthetic purposes, the best procedure is to use a protic solvent to promote the ionic intermolecular route, the fastest and highest yielding. When the reaction is carried out in CCl4, intermolecular radical addition of chlorine to the cyclic allene competes with intramolecular aromatization paths. Theoretical calculations predict a low barrier for the reaction of cyclic allenes with carbon tetrachloride, and that the cyclic allenes act as nucleophiles in this reaction.     

Neutral homoaromaticity in some heterocyclic systems

[reaction: see text] Neutral homoaromaticity has been evaluated in heterocyclic systems related to the bicyclo[3.2.1]octane skeleton with replacement of CH(2) at C-2 in bicyclo[3.2.1]octa-3,6-diene with X = BH, AlH, Be, Mg, O, S, PH, NH (12); replacement of CH at C-3 in bicyclo[3.2.1]octa-3,6-dien-2-yl anion with PH, S, NH, O (13); and replacement at C-2 and C-3 with N and O (14). Stabilization energies (SE) are evaluated using density functional theory and homodesmotic equations at the B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) level for series 12-14. Stabilization energies are compared with diamagnetic susceptibility exaltations, Lambda, CSGT-B3LYP/6-31G(d)//B3LYP/6-31G(d), and nucleus-independent chemical shifts (NICS), GIAO-B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d). Analysis of frontier orbitals and geometries, B3LYP/6-31G(d)//B3LYP/6-31G(d), and proton affinities of 2-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octa-3,6-diene, pyrrole, and related model systems, B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,2p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d), provide complementary evidence supporting the division of the substrates evaluated into antihomoaromatic (12, X = BH, AlH, and Be), nonhomoaromatic (12, X = O, S, NH, PH), and homoaromatic (13, X = S, PH, NH, O and 14 X = ON), with 12 (X = Mg) appearing as transitional between anti- and nonhomoaromatic.     

Rhodium complexes of some cyclo-olefins

Dicarbonyl(pentane-2,4-dionato)rhodium(I) does not form a complex with, or induce a skeletal rearrangement in, cycloheptatriene. 5-Exo-methylene-2-norbornene is present as an impurity in cycloheptatriene and is complexed by Rh(I) complexes as its endocyclic tautomer. Rhodium complexes of 1,3,5-cyclooctatriene, bicyclo [3.2.1] octa-2,6-diene, cyclooctatetraene, cyclooctatetraene epoxide, bicyclo [6.1.0] nonatriene and 9,9-dimethyl bicyclo [6.1.0] nonatriene are also reported.     

Bicyclo[3.2.1]octa-3,6-dien-2-yl cation: a bishomoantiaromate

Antiaromatic compounds with a closed loop of 4n p-electrons are relatively unstable and often difficult to study. We report in this article the synthesis of alcohols 2-(4'-fluorophenyl)bicyclo[3.2.1]octan-2-ol 11, 2-(4'-fluorophenyl)bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-en-2-ol 12, and 2-(4'-fluorophenyl)bicyclo[3.2.1]octa-3,6-dien-2-ol 13 and their transformations into corresponding carbocations 14-16, respectively, in a superacidic medium (FSO3H/SO2ClF) at -120 degrees C. Cations 14-16 are characterized by NMR analysis (1H, 13C, 19F), and 15 and 16 are further characterized by quenching in NaOCH3/H3COH at -120 degrees C. The relative stabilities of 14-16 are determined experimentally by 19F NMR spectroscopy. Cation 16 is found to be experimentally less stable than cation 15 by 3.7 kcal/mol. DFT calculations (structure and energy: B3LYP/6-31G(d); NMR: B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p)) are performed for alcohols 11-13 and bicyclo[3.2.1]octyl cations 6, 7, 9, 14-16, 26, 28, and 30. In the case of 11-16, data from DFT calculations is in good agreement with experimental data. Because 6,7-dimethylenebicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-en-2-yl cation 26 is more stable than cation 7 by 1.69 kcal/mol, the inductive effect of sp(2)-hybridized carbon atoms C6 and C7 in carbocations 6 and 16 cannot be the reason for the destabilization of 6 relative to 7 and 16 relative to 15. Destabilization of 6 relative to 7 and 16 relative to 15 and the calculated NICS of 6 (+4.17 ppm) and 16(+3.3 ppm) document that 6 and 16 are bishomoantiaromates.     

A [4 + 4] annulation strategy for the synthesis of eight-membered carbocycles based on intramolecular cycloadditions of conjugated enynes

A [4+4] annulation strategy for the synthesis of eight-membered carbocycles is reported that proceeds via a cascade involving two pericyclic processes. In the first step, the [4+2] cycloaddition of a conjugated enyne with an electron-deficient cyclobutene generates a strained six-membered cyclic allene that isomerizes to the corresponding 1,3-cyclohexadiene. In the second step, this bicyclo[4.2.0]octa-2,4-diene intermediate undergoes thermal or acid-promoted 6-electron electrocyclic ring opening to furnish a 2,4,6-cyclooctatrienone. The latter transformation represents the first example of the promotion of 6-electron electrocyclic ring opening reactions by acid.     

The role of 2,3-dimethylene-1, 4-cyclohexadiyl diradical as a reactive intermediate in some rearrangement reactions

Quantum chemical CI calculations with the semiempirical MO method SINDO1 are performed to study the rearrangement reactions of 1,2,6,7-octatetraen, 2,3-dimethylenebicyclo(2.2.0)hexane, 3,4-dimethylene-1,5-hexadiene and bicyclo(4.2.0)octa-1,5-diene. It is shown that the most favorable pathway of each of these six rearrangements involves the 2,3-dimethylene-1,4-cyclohexadiyl diradical as an interceptable intermediate. Two further intermediates, 1,2-divinyl-1-cyclobutene and 1,2-divinylylcyclobutane appear, but the latter with little importance. Energies and geometries of the four reactants resp. products, the three intermediates and twelve transitions states are presented. The mechanism of the rearrangements is discussed.     

Orbital Reactions Through Space. Part III. Rate Enhancement in Epoxidation of an Olefin by a Proximate Hydroxyl Group

As part of a programme directed towards the synthesis of polycyclic systems containing a bicyclo[4.2.0]octa-2,4-diene moiety (or a potential precursor thereof) joined at the 7,8 position, suitable as substrates for the 1,2-photoarmatisation reaction¹, we sought a simple route to the epixide (5). We considered this offered the opening to prepare the 8-oxatricyclo-     

Thermal and electron-impact transformations of cis-1,2-dibbnzoylalkenes

Several cis-1,2-dibenzoylalkene derivatives have been prepared in yields ranging between 60–80%, through the Diels-Alder addition of the appropriate dienes to dibenzoylacetylene. These include, 2,3-dibenzoyl-bicyclo [2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene (10), 2,3-dibenzoylbicyclo[2.2.2]octa-2,5-diene (11), 7-oxa-2,3-dibenzoyl-bicyclo [2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene (12), 1,4-diphenyl-2,3-dibenzoyl-1,4-epoxynaphthalene (13) and 9,10-dihydro-11,12-dibenzoy1-9, 10-ethenoanthracene (15), formed from cyclopentadiene, cyclohexa-1,3-diene, furan, 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran and anthracene, respectively.

Thermolysis of 2,3-dibenzoylbicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene gave chiefly cyclopentadiene, arising through a retro-Diels-Alder mode of fragmentation. Similar retro-Diels-Alder fragmentations have been observed in the cases of 7-oxa-2,3-dibenzoylbicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene and 9,10-dihydro-11,12-dibenzoyl-9,10-ethenoanthracene. The thermoylsis of 1,4-diphenyl-2,3-dibenzoyl-1,4-epoxynaphthalene, however, gave a mixture of 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran and 1,2-dibenzoylbenzene. The formation of 1,2-dibenzoylbenzene in this case has been shown to be through the air-oxidation of 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran. Thermolysis of 2,3-dibenzoylbicyclo[2.2.2]octa-2,5-diene, on the other hand, gave a nearly quantitative yield of 1,2-dibenzoylbenzene, which did not undergo further transformation even on heating around 260° for several hours. In none of these cases, the expected pericyclic transformation, analogous to the conversion of cis-1,2-dibenzoylstilbene (6) to the isomeric 2,2,3,4-tetraphenylbut-3-enolide (9), has been observed under thermal conditions. Treatment of 9,10-dihydro-11,12-dibenzoyl-9,10-ethenoanthracene (15) with phosphorous pentasulphide resulted in the formation of a mixture of 12,14-diphenyl-9, 10(3', 4')furanoanthracene (28) and 12,14-diphenyl-9,10(3',4')thiophenoanthracene (31), arising through the postulated intermediates, 9,10-dihydro-11-benzoyl-12-thiobenzoyl-9,10-ethenoanthracene (26) and 9,10-dihydro-11,12-dithiobenzoyl-9, 10-ethenoanthracene (29), respectively.

The electron-impact induced transformations of the cis-1,2-dibenzoylalkenes, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 15 on the other hand, can be rationalized in terms of both retro-Diels-Alder type fragmentations and pericyclic transformations of the dibenzoylalkene components.     

Foiled carbenes revisited: When sigma-stabilization surpasses pi-stabilization

The bicyclic alkenylidenes 9 (bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-2-en-8-ylidene) and 17 (bicyclo[3.3.1]non-2-en-9-ylidene) were claimed to be stabilized foiled carbenes. Our B3LYP and MP2 computations confirm previous experimental data. Moreover, they show that these carbenes are very reactive and rearrange rapidly, mainly through a 1,2-vinyl shift by overcoming a low barrier (1.2 to 5.4 kcal/mol). This is in contrast to the high barriers (up to 30 kcal/mol) predicted for the same type of rearrangements in norborn-2-en-7-ylidene derivatives. In 17 and bicyclo[4.1.1]oct-2-en-7-ylidene (23), the divalent carbon atom is even bent away from the double bond!     

Synthesis of versatile bicyclo[5.4.0]undecane systems from tetrachlorocyclopropene

2,2,3,4-Tetrachloro-8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octa-2,6-diene, derived in a single step from the cyclocondensation of furan and tetrachlorocylopropene, serves as a key intermediate for the construction of bicyclo[5.4.0]undecane synthons. Conversion to a meso-1,3 diketone is followed by a high yielding Robinson annulation reaction. Studies on the reduction of the enone product reveals a powerful preference for formation of the cis-ring fusion.     

Computational assessment of the electronic structures of cyclohexa-1,2,4-triene, 1-oxacyclohexa-2,3,5-triene (3delta(2)-pyran), their benzo derivatives, and cyclohexa-1,2-diene. An experimental approach to 3delta(2)-pyran.

The six-membered cyclic allenes given in the title have been studied theoretically by means of an MR-CI approach. For all compounds, the allene structures were found to be the ground states in the gas phase. In the cases of cyclohexa-1,2-diene (1), the isobenzene 2, and the isonaphthalene 7, the most stable structures having a planar allene moiety are the diradicals 1b, 2b, and 7b, representing the transition states for the racemization of 1a, 2a, and 7a and being less stable than the latter by 14.1, 8.9, and 11.2 kcal/mol, respectively. At variance with this order, the 3delta(2)-pyran 4 and the chromene 5 have the zwitterions 4c and 5c as the most stable planar structures, which lie only 1.0 and 5.4 kcal/mol above 4a and 5a, respectively. According to the simulation of the solvent effect, 4c even becomes the ground state of 4 in THF solution. The frontier orbitals of the respective states of 2 and 4 suggest different rates and sites for the reaction with nucleophiles. For the first time, the pyran 4 has been generated and trapped. As a precursor for 4, 3-bromo-4H-pyran (9) was chosen, the synthesis of which was achieved on two routes from 4H-pyran. The treatment of 9 with potassium tert-butoxide (KOt-Bu)/18-crown-6 gave 4-tert-butoxy-4H-pyran as the only discernible product, whether styrene or furan was present, indicating the interception of 4 by KOt-Bu. Finally, the disagreement between the experiment and the theory concerning the heat of formation and the electronic nature of the isobenzene 2 is resolved by demonstrating that the experimental data can provide only an upper limit of the DeltaH(f) degrees value.     

Conformations and reactions of bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-6-en-8-ylidene

Bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-6-en-8-ylidene (1) can assume either the conformation of "classical" carbene 1a or that of foiled carbene 1b in which the divalent carbon bends toward the double bond. Oxadiazoline precursors for the generation of 1 were prepared, followed by photochemical and thermal decomposition as well as flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP) of a tosyl hydrazone sodium salt precursor, to give a number of rearrangement products. Matrix isolation experiments demonstrate the presence of a diazo intermediate and methyl acetate in all photochemical and thermal precursor reactions. The major product from rearrangements of "classical" bridged carbene 1a is bicyclo[3.3.0]octa-1,3-diene as a result of an alkyl shift, while dihydrosemibullvalene formed from a 1,3-C-H insertion. In contrast, thus far unknown strained bicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,7-diene formed by a vinyl shift in foiled carbene 1b. The experimental results are corroborated by density functional theory (DFT), MP2, and G4 computations.     

Direct episulfidation of alkenes and allenes with elemental sulfur and thiiranes as sulfur sources,catalyzed by molybdenum oxo complexes

The molybdenum oxo complexes 1a and 1b catalyze efficiently the sulfur transfer to a series of alkenes 4 and allenes 6, for which elemental sulfur, phenylthiirane, or methylthiirane have been employed as sulfur sources to afford the corresponding episulfides 5 and 7. The most effective catalytic episulfidation system to date is the combination of the dithiophosphate-ligated oxo complex 1b and phenylthiirane (Ibeta). This metathesis process is efficient enough to convert usually reluctant alkenes (cyclopentene, cycloheptene, Z-cyclooctene, Z-cyclononene, E-cyclodecene, norbornene, and even bicyclopropylidene) to their episulfides in good yields under mild conditions. The direct catalytic sulfuration of allenes (cyclonona-1,2-diene, cyclonona-1,2,5-triene, cyclodeca-1,2-diene, and 2,4-dimethylpenta-2,3-diene) to their labile methylenethiiranes is unprecedented.     

Efficient and stereoselective synthesis of bicyclo[3.2.1]octan-8-ones: synthesis and palladium-catalyzed isomerization of functionalized 2-vinyl-2,3,3a,4,5,6-hexahydro-2,3-benzofurans

A new C,O-cyclodialkylation of dilithiated cyclic beta-keto esters and beta-keto sulfones with 1,4-dibromo-2-butene is reported which results in regio- and diastereoselective formation of 2-vinyl-2,3,3a,4,5,6-hexahydro-2,3-benzofurans. The products could be efficiently transformed into functionalized bicyclo[3.2.1]octan-8-ones by a palladium-catalyzed rearrangement reaction. In case of sulfone derivatives, this rearrangement proceeds with high stereospecifity to give exclusively the endo-configured diastereomers. The bicyclo[3.2.1]octane skeleton is present in a large number of pharmacologically important natural products.     

Synthesis of 2-heterobicyclo[3.2.1]octanes and the corresponding monoenes and dienes

Synthesis of the theoretically interesting 2-heterobicyclo[3.2.1.]octa-3,6-dienes and their dihydro-and tetrahydro-derivatives has been achieved in the oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur series. The parent compound of the nitrogen series appears to exist as 2-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octa-2,6-diene rather than as the enamine (3, R=H). The Cope rearrangement equilibrium (2, X=NR)?(3) lies more to the side of the diene 3 when nitrogen is substituted with an electron withdrawing group than when an alkyl substituent is present. These effects seem to suggest no special bishomoconjugative stabilisation in the dienes 3.     

A novel pathway in the photooxygenation of cyclic allenes

[equation--see text] The photooxidation of cyclic allenes gives rise to cyclic 1,2, 3-trione hydrates. The formation of these compounds points to a novel photooxidation mechanism involving both singlet and triplet oxygen. Upon placement of a methyl group on the allene, the mechanism shifts to predominantly an "ene" reaction. The corresponding cycloadditions with 4-methyl-1,3,4-triazoline-3, 5-dione (MTAD) with cyclic allenes involve 2 equiv of MTAD. The dipolar intermediates are trapped with H(2)O to give alpha-urazole-substituted 2-cycloalkenones.