Synthesis of 6-Styrylheptalenes

4-Methylazulenes 3 , 15 , and 23 were transformed into 4-[(methylthio)methyl]azulene 4 , and azulene-4-carbaldehyde dimethyl dithioacetals 16 and 24 , respectively. Vilsmeier formylation of 4 and 16 , and subsequent reduction led to the 1-methyl derivatives 6 and 18 , respectively. The thermal reaction of azulenes 6 , 18 , and 24 with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (ADM) in toluene afforded heptalenes with a (methylthio)methyl group or a [bis(methylthio)]methyl group at C(6). Chlorination of [(methylthio)methyl]heptalene 7 , followed by treatment with HgO and BF₃⋅OEt₂ in aqueous tetrahydrofuran (THF), led to 6-formylheptalene-dicarboxylate 12 in excellent yield. Similarly, hydrolysis of 18 and 24 by HgO and BF₃⋅OEt₂ in aqueous THF afforded the 6-formyl derivatives 21 and 27 , respectively. Wittig reaction of the 6-formyl-substituted heptalenes and phosphonium salts 13a – e in the two-phase system CH₂Cl₂/2n aqueous NaOH resulted in the formation of 6-styryl-substituted heptalenes.     

New Heptalenes Substituted with Extended π-Systems

The synthesis of π-substituted heptalenecarboxylates or -dicarboxylates, starting with the easily available dimethyl 9-isopropyl-1, 6-dimethylheptalene-4, 5-dicarboxylate ( 2b ), are described. Treatment of 2b with t-BuOK and C₂Cl₆ at ?78° leads to the chemoselective introduction of a Cl substituent in Me-C(1) (see 5b in Scheme 1). Formation of the corresponding triphenylphosphonium salt 7b via the iodide 6b (Scheme 2) allowed a Wittig reaction with cinnamaldehyde in the two-phase system CH₂Cl₂/2N NaOH. Transformation of the 4, 5-dicar-boxylate of 2b into the corresponding pseudo-ester 10b allowed the selective reduction of the carbonyl function at C(4) with DIBAH to yield the corresponding 4-carbaldehyde 11b (Scheme 3). Wittig reaction of 11b with (benzyl) triphenylphosphonium bromide led to the introduction of the 4-phenylbuta-1, 3-dienyl substituent at C(4). The combination of both Wittig reactions led to the synthesis of the 1, 4-bis(4-phenylbuta-1, 3-dienyl)-substituted heptalene-5-carboxylate (all-E)- 17b (Scheme 5). In a similar manner, by applying a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction, followed by the Wittig reaction, the donor-acceptor substituted heptalene-5-carboxylate (E;E)- 22b was synthesized (Scheme7). Most of these new heptalenes are in solution, at room temperature, in thermal equilibrium with their double-bond shifted (DBS) isomers. In the case of (all-E)- 17b and (E;E)- 22b , irradiation of the thermal equilibrium mixture with light of λ -(439 ± 10) nm led to a strong preponderance ( > 90%) of the DBS isomers 17a and (E;E)- 22a , respectively (Schemes 6 and 7). Heating of the photo-mixtures at 40° re-established quickly the thermal equilibrium mixtures. Heptalenes-carboxylates (all-E)- 17a and (E;E)- 22a which represent the off-state of a 1,4-conjugative switch (CS) system show typical heptalene UV/VIS spectra with a bathochromically shifted heptalene band III and comparably weak heptalene bands II and I which appear only as shoulders (Figs. 4 and 5). In contrast, the DBS isomers (all-E)- 17b and (all-E)- 22b , equivalent to the on-state of a 1,4-CS system, exhibit extremely intense heptalene bands I and, possibly, II which appear as a broad absorption band at 440 and 445 nm, respectively, thus indicating that the CSs (all-E)- 17a ?(all-E)- 17b and (E;E)- 22a ?(E;E)- 22b are perfectly working.     

Synthesis and Characterization of New Heptalenes with Extended π‐Systems Attached to Them

Methyl heptalenecarboxylates of type A and B with π(1) and π(2) substituents in 1,4‐relation (Scheme 1) were synthetized starting with dimethyl 1‐methylheptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates 5b and 6b derived from 7‐isopropyl‐1,4‐dimethylazulene (=guaiazulene) and 1,4,6,8‐tetramethylazulene by thermal reaction with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate. The further general way of proceeding for the introduction of the π(1) and π(2) substituents is displayed in Scheme 3, and the thus obtained methyl heptalene‐5‐carboxylates of type A and B are listed in Table 1. The C?C bonds of the 2‐arylethenyl and 4‐arylbuta‐1,3‐dien‐1‐yl groups of π(1) and π(2) were in all cases (E)‐configured and showed s‐trans conformation at the C? C bonds (X‐ray and ¹H‐NOE evidence) in the B ‐type as well as in the A ‐type heptalenes (cf. Figs. 5–12). All B ‐type heptalenes showed a strongly enhanced heptalene band I in the wavelength region 440–490 nm in hexane/CH₂Cl₂ 9 : 1 (cf. Table 4 and Figs. 13–20). The A ‐type heptalenes showed in this region only weak absorption, recognizable as shoulders or simply tailing of the dominating heptalene bands II/III (Table 5). Absorption band I of the B ‐type heptalenes appeared almost at the same wavelength as the longest wavelength absorption band of comparable open‐chain α,ω‐diarylpolyenes (cf. Fig. 21). The cyclic double bond shift (DBS) of the A ‐ and B ‐type heptalenes could be photochemically steered in one or the other direction by selective irradiation (cf. Fig. 22).     

A Spectroscopic Investigation of Donor‐Acceptor‐Substituted Heptalenes

It is shown that the heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates 5 react with their Me group at C(1) with N,N‐dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal or other acetals of this type in N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) to give the corresponding 1‐[(E)‐2‐(N,N‐dialkylamino)ethenyl]‐substituted heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates 8a – 8e as well as 8k and 8i in good yields (Table 1). In a similar manner, the 1‐[(E)‐2‐pyrrolidinoethenyl]‐substituted heptalene‐5‐carboxylates 8f – h were synthesized from the corresponding heptalene‐carboxylates 10 – 12 , carrying a CHO, CN, or (E)‐2‐(methoxycarbonyl)ethenyl group at C(4) (Table 1). All new heptalenes with the π‐donor and π‐acceptor groups at C(1) and C(4), respectively, exhibit a strongly enhanced heptalene band I in the spectral region of 450 – 500 nm in MeCN (Table 7 and Figs. 4 – 7), whereby the specific position is dependent on the π‐donor quality of the N,N‐dialkylamino substituent at C(2′) and the π‐acceptor property of the group at C(4). The position of heptalene band I is also strongly solvent‐dependent as is demonstrated in the case of heptalene 8i (Table 9). A good linear correlation with the CT band of 1‐(diethylamino)‐4‐nitrobenzene or (E)‐4‐(dimethylamino)‐β‐nitrostyrene (Figs. 11 and 12) characterizes the heptalene band I also as an electronic CT transition. Irradiation into this band of 8i leads, as observed in other cases (cf. [1]), to a double‐bond shift in the heptalene moiety (→ 8′i ; Figs. 8 – 10). On warming in solution, 8′i is converted quantitatively to 8i .     

Synthesis of 1‐Methyl‐6,10‐diphenylheptalene Derivatives

The reduction of heptalene diester 1 with diisobutylaluminium hydride (DIBAH) in THF gave a mixture of heptalene‐1,2‐dimethanol 2a and its double‐bond‐shift (DBS) isomer 2b (Scheme 3). Both products can be isolated by column chromatography on silica gel. The subsequent chlorination of 2a or 2b with PCl₅ in CH₂Cl₂ led to a mixture of 1,2‐bis(chloromethyl)heptalene 3a and its DBS isomer 3b . After a prolonged chromatographic separation, both products 3a and 3b were obtained in pure form. They crystallized smoothly from hexane/Et₂O 7 : 1 at low temperature, and their structures were determined by X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis (Figs. 1 and 2). The nucleophilic exchange of the Cl substituents of 3a or 3b by diphenylphosphino groups was easily achieved with excess of (diphenylphospino)lithium (=lithium diphenylphosphanide) in THF at 0° (Scheme 4). However, the purification of 4a / 4b was very difficult since these bis‐phosphines decomposed on column chromatography on silica gel and were converted mostly by oxidation by air to bis(phosphine oxides) 5a and 5b . Both 5a and 5b were also obtained in pure form by reaction of 3a or 3b with (diphenylphosphinyl)lithium (=lithium oxidodiphenylphospanide) in THF, followed by column chromatography on silica gel with Et₂O. Carboxaldehydes 7a and 7b were synthesized by a disproportionation reaction of the dimethanol mixture 2a / 2b with catalytic amounts of TsOH. The subsequent decarbonylation of both carboxaldehydes with tris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium(1+) chloride yielded heptalene 8 in a quantitative yield. The reaction of a thermal‐equilibrium mixture 3a / 3b with the borane adduct of (diphenylphosphino)lithium in THF at 0° gave 6a and 6b in yields of 5 and 15%, respectively (Scheme 4). However, heating 6a or 6b in the presence of 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) in toluene, generated both bis‐phosphine 4a and its DBS isomer 4b which could not be separated. The attempt at a conversion of 3a or 3b into bis‐phosphines 4a or 4b by treatment with t‐BuLi and Ph₂PCl also failed completely. Thus, we returned to investigate the antipodes of the dimethanols 2a, 2b , and of 8 that can be separated on an HPLC Chiralcel‐OD column. The CD spectra of optically pure (M)‐ and (P)‐configurated heptalenes 2a, 2b , and 8 were measured (Figs. 4, 5, and 9).     

A Concise Synthesis of (E)- and (Z)-Neomanoalides

The first synthesis of (Z)-neomanoalide ( 4 ) and an improved synthesis of its (E)-isomer 3 was accomplished in a concise, regiocontrolled manner by exploiting 2-[(tert-butyl)dimethylsiloxy]-4{[(tert-butyl)dimethylsiloxy]-methyl}furan ( 6 ) as the key reagent. Lithiation of 6 and subsequent reaction with the (2Z)- or (2E)-isomer of (6E)-3-{[(tert-butyl)dimethylsiloxy]methyl}-7-methyl-9-(2′,6′,6′-trimethylcyclohex-1′-enyl)nona-2,6-dienyl bromide ( 5 ), followed by hydrolysis, afforded the corresponding neomanoalide.     

Double-Bond Shifts in [4n]Annulenes as a New Principle for Molecular Switches: First Results with Dimethyl Heptalene-1,2- and -4,5-dicarboxylates

A new concept for molecular switches, based on thermal or photochemical double-bond shifts (DBS) in [4n]annulenes such as heptalenes or cyclooctatetraenes, is introduced (cf. Scheme 2). Several heptalene-1,2- and -4,5-dicarboxylates (cf. Scheme 4) with (E)-styryl and Ph groups at C(5) and C(1), or C(4) and C(2), respectively, have been investigated. Several X-ray crystal-structure analyses (cf. Figs. 1–5) showed that the (E)-styryl group occupies in the crystals an almost perfect s-trans-conformation with respect to the C?C bond of the (E)-styryl moiety and the adjacent C?C bond of the heptalene core. Supplementary ¹H-NOE measurements showed that the s-trans-conformations are also adopted in solution (cf. Schemes 6 and 9). Therefore, the DBS process in heptalenes (cf. Schemes 5 and 8) is always accompanied by a 180° torsion of the (E)-styryl group with respect to its adjacent C?C bond of the heptalene core. The UV/VIS spectra of the heptalene-1,2- and -4,5-dicarboxylates illustrated that it can indeed be differentiated between an ‘off-state’, which possesses no ‘through-conjugation’ of the π-donor substituent and the corresponding MeOCO group and an ‘on-state’ where this ‘through-conjugation’ is realized. The ‘through-conjugation’, i.e., conjugative interaction via the involved s-cis-butadiene substructure of the heptalene skeleton, is indicated by a strong enhancement of the intensities of the heptalene absorption bands I and II (cf. Tables 3–6). The most impressive examples are the heptalene-dicarboxylates 11a , representing the off-state, and 11b which stands for the on-state (cf. Fig.8).     

Introduction of Amino Alcohols in the Ring-Opening Reaction of 3-bromo-2,5-dimethylthiophene 1,1-dioxide. A short diastereoselective synthesis of substituted ‘tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrrolizidines’ (= octahydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoindoles) using L-prolinol

Tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrrolizidines (= octahydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoindoles) and tetrahydrobenzo[a]indo-lizidines, (= decahydropyrido[2,1-a]isoindoles) were prepared stereoselectively in four steps through an amineinduced ring-opening of 3-bromo-2,5-dimethylthiophene 1,1-dioxide ( 1 ) with L -prolinol ( 9 ), piperidine-2-methanol ( 10 ), and piperidine-2-ethanol ( 11 ), yielding the dienes (2S)-1-[(2E,4Z)-4-bromohexa-2,4-dienyl]pyrrolidine-2-methanol ( 12 ), 1-[(2E,4Z)-4-bromohexa-2,4-dienyl]piperidine-2-methanol ( 13 ), and 1-[(2E,4Z)-4-bromo-hexa-2,4-dienyl]piperidine-2-ethanol ( 14 ; Scheme2), which, after conversion into their α,β-unsaturated esters, cyclized in a TiCl₄-catalyzed intramolecular Diets-Alder reaction (Scheme3). A discussion on the mechanism of the ring opening reaction including semiempirical and ab initio calculations is also presented.     

A New Alkylation Method for Heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates and of One of Their Pseudoester Forms

Dimethyl heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates

1 The locants of heptalene itself are maintained throughout the whole work. See footnote 4 in [1] for reasoning.

undergo preferentially a Michael addition reaction at C(3) with α‐lithiated alkyl phenyl sulfones at temperatures below ?50°, leading to corresponding cis‐configured 3,4‐dihydroheptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates (cf. Table 1, Schemes 3 and 4). The corresponding heptalenofuran‐1‐one‐type pseudoesters of dimethyl heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates (Scheme 5) react with [(phenylsulfonyl)methyl]lithium almost exclusively at C(1) of the furanone group (Scheme 6). In contrast to this expected behavior, the uptake of 1‐[phenylsulfonyl)ethyl]lithium occurs at C(5) of the heptalenofuran‐1‐ones as long as they carry a Me group at C(11) (Schemes 6 and 7). The 1,4‐ as well as the 1,6‐addition products eliminate, on treatment with MeONa/MeOH in THF, benzenesulfinate, thus leading to 3‐ and 4‐alkylated dimethyl heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates, respectively (Schemes 8–13). The configuration of the addition reaction of the nucleophiles to the inherently chiral heptalenes is discussed in detail (cf. Schemes 14–19) on the basis of a number of X‐ray crystal‐structure determinations as well as by studies of the temperature‐dependence of the ¹H‐NMR spectra of the addition products.     

Reductive Elimination of Phenylsulfonyl Groups in the 3‐Position of Benzo[a]heptalene‐2,4‐diols

3‐(Phenylsulfonyl)benzo[a]heptalene‐2,4‐diols 1 can be desulfonylated with an excess of LiAlH₄/MeLi?LiBr in boiling THF in good yields (Scheme 6). When the reaction is run with LiAlH₄/MeLi, mainly the 3,3′‐disulfides 6 of the corresponding 2,4‐dihydroxybenzo[a]heptalene‐3‐thiols are formed after workup (Scheme 7). However, the best yields of desulfonylated products are obtained when the 2,4‐dimethoxy‐substituted benzo[a]heptalenes 2 are reduced with an excess of LiAlH₄/TiCl₄ at ?78→20° in THF (Scheme 10). Attempts to substitute the PhSO₂ group of 2 with freshly prepared MeONa in boiling THF led to a highly selective ether cleavage of the 4‐MeO group, rather than to desulfonylation (Scheme 13).     

On the Formation of 2‐Sulfonylbenzo[a]heptalene‐1,3‐diols as Precursors for the Synthesis of Colchicinoids

The benzo[a]heptalene formation from 4‐[(R‐sulfonyl)acetyl]heptalene‐5‐carboxylates 15 and 5‐[(R‐sulfonyl)acetyl]heptalene‐4‐carboxylates 16 (R=Ph or morpholino) in the presence of R′SO₂CH₂Li and BuLi has been investigated (Scheme 6). Only the sulfonyl moiety linked to the C?O group at C(4) of the heptalene skeleton is found at C(3) of the formed benzo[a]heptalene‐2,4‐diols 3 in accordance with the general mechanism of their formation (Scheme 3). Intermediates that might rearrange to corresponding 2‐sulfonylbenzo[a]heptalene‐1,3‐diols lose HO^? under the reaction conditions to yield the corresponding cyclopenta[d]heptalenones of type 11 (Schemes 6 and 7). However, the presence of an additional Me group at C(α) of the lithioalkyl sulfones suppresses the loss of HO^?, and 4‐methyl‐2‐sulfonylbenzo[a]heptalene‐1,3‐diols of type 4c have been isolated and characterized for the first time (Schemes 8 and 10). A number of X‐ray crystal‐structure analyses of starting materials and of the new benzo[a]heptalenes have been performed. Finally, benzo[a]heptalene 4c has been transformed into its 1,2,3‐trimethoxy derivative 23 , a benzo[a]heptalene with the colchicinoid substitution pattern at ring A (Scheme 11).     

Synthesis and structure of 5,5′-[(E,E)-2,5-diiodohexa-1,5-diene-1,6-diyl]bis(2,3-dichloro-4,4-dimethoxycyclopent-2-en-1-one)

Treatment of 2,3,5-trichloro-5-[(E)-2,3-diiodoprop-1-en-1-yl]-4,4-dimethoxycyclopent-2-en-1-one with SmI₂ in THF gives 5,5′-[(1E,5E)-2,5-diiodohexa-1,5-diene-1,6-diyl]bis(2,3-dichloro-4,4-dimethoxycyclopent-2-en-1-one) and its meso form at a ratio of 3:1.     

An Improved and Simplified Synthesis of 4-Styrylazulenes

It is shown that 4- or 8-[(E)-styryl]-substituted azulenes can easily be prepared from 4- or 8-methylazulenes in the presence of potassium tert-butoxide (t-BuOK) with the corresponding benzaldehydes in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at −5 to 25° (see Schemes 1 and 2). 6-(tert-Butyl)-4,8-dimethylazulene ( 5 ) with both Me groups in reactive positions leads to the formation of a mixture of the mono- and distyryl-substituted azulenes 6 and 7 , respectively (Scheme 3). Vilsmeier formylation of 6 results in the formation of 3 : 2 mixture of the azulene-carbaldehydes 8a and 8b , which can be separated by chromatography on silica gel. Reduction of 8a and 8b with NaBH₄ in trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)/CH₂Cl₂ gives the 1-methyl forms 9a and 9b , respectively, in good yields (Scheme 4). The latter two azulenes are not separable on silica gel.     

From Colchicine and Some of Its Derivatives to 1,2,3,9,10-Pentamethoxybenzo[a]heptalenes

A two-step synthesis of 4-methylcolchicine ( 13 ), starting from colchicine ( 2 ), has been developed (Scheme 5). In three steps, 4-ethylcolchicine ( 28 ) is also accessible from 2 (Scheme 8). Colchicine ( 2 ) and its derivatives 13 and 28 have been transformed into the benzo[a]heptalene derivatives 9 , 18 , and 34 , respectively, by Hofmann degradation of the corresponding deacetylcolchiceine 3, 19 , and 29 , respectively, followed by methylation of the two O-functions first with diazomethane and then with trimethoxonium tetrafluoroborate (Scheme 2 and 6). The thus formed tropylium salts gave, on deprotonation with Me₃N in CHCl₃, the expected pentamethoxybenzo[a]heptalenes 9, 18 , and 34 , respectively. X-Ray crystal-structure analysis of 9 (Fig.3) and 18 (Fig. 7), determination of the vicinal coupling constants of the H-atoms at the heptalene skeleton as well as the measurement of the racemization rate of the new benzo[a]heptalenes revealed a marked influence of the substituent at C(4) on the degree of twisting of the heptalene skeleton. The absolute configuration of the resolved heptalenes was deduced from their long-wavelength CD maxima around 350 nm. The heptalenes with a negative maximum in this range possess (7aP)-configuration.     

Cyclization and rearrangement products from coupling reactions between terminal o-alkynylphenols or o-ethynyl(hydroxymethyl)benzene and 6-halopurines

Cyclization reactions on 6-[(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethynyl]purines, 6-[(2-hydroxymethylphenyl)ethynyl]purines and 6-[(2-hydroxyphenyl)propyn-1-yl]purines have been studied. 6-(2-Benzofuryl)purines are readily available via a one-pot Sonogashira coupling-cyclization between 6-iodopurine and 2-ethynylphenol. When the same reaction was performed with o-(hydroxymethyl)ethynylbenzene, 6-[isobenzofuran-1(3H)-ylidenemethyl]purine was formed, mainly as the (E)-isomer. Acid catalyzed isomerization of the (E)-compound afforded the (Z)-isomer. The latter compound was also formed from a two-step reaction; Sonogashira coupling with O-silylated alkyne followed by deprotection and subsequent 5-exo cyclization. Sonogashira coupling between 6-halopurines and 2-propynylphenol gave only the alkyne coupling product and no cyclization took place. However, the Sonogashira product was unexpectedly rearranged to 6-(3-phenoxypropa-1,2-dienyl)purines under basic conditions. Theoretical calculations demonstrated that the allenes are more stable than their alkyne isomers.     

Thermal and Ru-catalyzed Reactions of Styryl-Substituted Azulenes with Dimethyl Acetylenedicarboxylate

The thermal reaction of 1-[(E)-styrl]azulenes with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (ADM) in decalin at 190–200° does not lead to the formation fo the corresponding heptalene-1,2-dicarboxylates (Scheme 2). Main products are the corresponding azulene-1,2-dicarboxylates (see 4 and 9 ), accompanied by the benzanellated azulenes trans- 10a and trans- 11 , respectively. The latter compounds are formed by a Diels-Alder reaction of the starting azulenes and ADM, followed by an ene reaction with ADM (cf. Scheme 3). The [RuH₂(PPh₃)₄]-catalyzed reaction of 4,6,8-trimethyl-1-[(E)-4-R-styryl]azulenes (R=H, MeO, Cl; Scheme 4) with ADM in MeCN at 110° yields again the azulene-1,2-dicarboxylates as main products. However, in this case, the corresponding heptalene-1,2-dicarboxylates are also formed in small amounts (3–5%; Scheme 4). The benzanellated azulenes trans- 10a and trans- 10b are also found in small amounts (2–3%) in the reaction mixture. ADM Addition products at C(3) of the azulene ring as well as at C(2) of the styryl moiety are also observed in minor amounts (1–3%). Similar results are obtained in the [RuH₂(PPh₃)₄]-catalyzed reaction of 3-[(E)-styryl]guaiazulene ((E)- 8 ; Scheme 5) with ADM in MeCN. However, in this case, no heptalene formation is observed, and the amount of the ADM-addition products at C(2) of the styryl group is remarkably increased (29%). That the substitutent pattern at the seven-membered ring of (E)- 8 is not responsible for the failure of heptalene formation is demonstrated by the Ru-catalyzed reaction of 7-isopropyl-4-methyl-1-[(E)-styryl]azulene ((E)- 23 ; Scheme 11) with ADM in MeCN, yielding the corresponding heptalene-1,2-dicarboxylate (E)- 26 (10%). Again, the main product is the corresponding azulene-1,2-dicarboxylate 25 (20%). Reaction of 4,6,8-trimethyl-2-[(E)-styryl]azulene ((E)- 27 ; Scheme 12) and ADM yields the heptalene-dicarboxylates (E)- 30A / B , purely thermally in decalin (28%) as well as Ru-catalyzed in MeCN (40%). Whereas only small amounts of the azulene-1,2-dicarboxylate 8 (1 and 5%, respectively) are formed, the corresponding benzanellated azulene trans- 29 ist found to be the second main product (21 and 10%, respectively) under both reaction conditions. The thermal reaction yields also the benzanellated azulene 28 which is not found in the catalyzed variant of the reaction. Heptalene-1,2-dicarboxylates are also formed from 4-[(E)-styryl]azulenes (e.g. (E)- 33 and (E)- 34 ; Scheme 14) and ADM at 180–190° in decalin and at 110° in MeCN by [RuH₂(PPh₃)₄] catalysis. The yields (30%) are much better in the catalyzed reaction. The formation of by-products (e.g. 39–41 ; Scheme 14) in small amounts (0.5–5%) in the Ru-catalyzed reactions allows to understand better the reactivity of zwitterions (e.g. 42 ) and their triyclic follow-up products (e.g. 43 ) built from azulenes and ADM (cf. Scheme 15).     

Light-Induced,Thermal, and Acid-Catalyzed π-Skeletal Rearrangements of Five-Ring-Annelated Heptalenes

It is shown that, upon irradiation in CDCl₃ solution, 5,6,8,10-tetramethylheptalene-1,2-dicarboxylic anhydride ( 6 ) rearranges to its double-bond-shift (DBS) isomer 7 in an equilibrium reaction (Scheme 2). The isomer 7 is DBS stable at ?50°. At ca. 30°, a thermal equilibrium with 97.8% of 6 and 2.2% of 7 is rapidly established. Similarly, the ‘ortho’-anhydrides 9 and 11 (Schemes 4 and 5) can be rearranged to their corresponding DBS isomers 12 and 13 , respectively. Whereas 12 is DBS stable at 30° (at 100° in tetralin, 94.0% of 9 are in equilibrium with 6.0% of 12 ), the i-Pr-substituted isomer 13 is already at 30° in thermal equilibrium with 11 leading to 98.7% of 11 and 1.3% of 13 . It is shown by rearrangement of diasteroisomeric ‘ortho’-anhydrides of known relative and absolute configuration (Scheme 6) that the DBS in such five-ring-annelated heptalenes occurs with retention of the configuration of the heptalene skeleton as already established for other heptalene compounds. It is found that the DBS process may also take place under acid catalysis (e.g. HCl/CH₃OH), thus yielding 9 from 12 (Scheme 9). The ‘ortho’-anhydrides 21 and 23 (Scheme 10) which are isomeric with 9 and 11 (Scheme 3) undergo rapid DBS' already at room temperature. The thermal equilibrium 21?22 consists of 18% of 21 and 82% of 22 at 30° and that of 23?24 of 17% of 23 and 83% of 24 at ?30°. From these equilibrium mixtures, the pure DBS isomer 22 can be obtained by crystallization. Again, these rapid DBS' occur with retention of configuration of the heptalene skeleton (Fig. 4).     

Tetramethylheptalenes and Their Tricarbonylchromium Complexes: Synthesis,Structures, and Thermal Rearrangements

The thermal 4 : 1 equilibrium mixture of 1,3,5,6- and 1,3,5,10-tetramethylheptalene ( 13a and 13b , resp.) has been prepared, starting from the thermal equilibrium mixture of dimethyl 6,8,10-trimethylheptalene-1,2- and -4,5-dicarboxylate ( 6a and 6b , resp.; cf. Scheme 5). These heptalenes undergo double-bond shifts (DBS) even at ambient temperature. Treatment of the mixture 13a / 13b 4 : 1 with [Cr(CO)₃(NH₃)₃] in boiling 1,2-dimethoxyethane resulted in the formation of all four possible mononuclear Cr(CO)₃ complexes 19a – 19d of 13a and 13b , as well as two binuclear Cr(CO)₃ complexes 20a and 20b , respectively, in a total yield of 87% (cf. Scheme 7). The mixture of complexes was separated by column chromatography, followed by preparative HPLC (cf. Fig. 2). The structures of all complexes were established by X-ray crystal-structure analyses (complex 19b and 20b ; cf. Figs. 6 – 8) and extensive ¹H-NMR measurements (cf. Table 3). In 20b , the two Cr(CO)₃ groups are linked in a `syn'-mode to the highly twisted heptalene π-skeleton. The correspondence of the <sup>1</sup>H-NMR data of 20a with that of 20b indicates that the two Cr(CO)<sub>3</sub> groups in 20a also have a `syn'-arrangement. The thermal behavior of the mononuclear complexes 19a – 19d has been studied at 85° in hexafluorobenzene (HFB). At this temperature, all four complexes undergo rearrangement to the same thermal equilibrium mixture (cf. Table 8). The rates for the thermal equilibration of each complex have been determined by ¹H-NMR measurements (cf. Figs. 9 – 12) and analyzed by seven different kinetic schemes (Chapt. 2). The equilibration rates are in agreement with two different haptotropic rearrangements that take place, namely intra- and inter-ring shifts of the Cr(CO)₃ group, whereby both rearrangements are accompanied by DBS of the heptalene π-skeleton (cf. Scheme 9). All individual kinetic steps possess similar ΔG^≠ values in the range of 29 – 31 kcal⋅mol⁻¹ (cf. Table 8). The occurrence of inter-ring haptotropic migrations of Cr(CO)₃ groups has already been established for anellated aromatic systems (cf. Scheme 10); however, it is the first time that these rearrangements have been unequivocally demonstrated for Cr(CO)₃ complexes of non-planar bicyclic [4n]annulenes, such as heptalenes. The mechanism of migration may be similar to that proposed for aromatic systems (cf. Schemes 10 and 11).     

Synthesis of new heterocycles by oxidation of functionalized cyclic derivatives of bis(2-chlorovinyl) sulfide and selenide

Oxidation of 4-substituted 2,6-bis[(E)-chloromethylidene]thiomorpholine with hydrogen peroxide in a mixture of chloroform with acetic acid afforded the corresponding 4-R-2,6-bis[(E)-chloromethylidene]-thiomorpholine 1-oxide. The results of oxidation of bis[(E)-chloromethylidene]-1,4-dichalcogenanes under analogous conditions depended on the chalcogen nature and its position in the ring. The reaction of 2,6-bis[(E)-chloromethylidene]-1,4-dithiane gave 2,6-bis[(E)-chloromethylidene]-1,4-dithiane-1,1,4,4-tetraone, whereas 3,5-bis[(E)-chloromethylidene]-1,4-thiaselenane-1,1-dione was unexpectedly obtained from 3,5-bis[(E)-chloromethylidene]-1,4-thiaselenane. 2,6-Bis[(E)-chloromethylidene]-1,4-thiaselenane and 2,6-bis[(E)-chloromethylidene]-1,4-diselenane decomposed under the oxidation conditions.     

Benzo[a]heptalenes from Heptaleno[1,2‐c]furans. Part I

It is shown that heptaleno[1,2‐c]furans 1 , which are available in two steps from heptalene‐4,5‐dicarboxylates by reduction and oxidative dehydrogenation of the corresponding vicinal dimethanols 2 with MnO₂ or IBX (Scheme 4), react thermally in a Diels–Alder‐type [4+2] cycloaddition at the furan ring with a number of electron‐deficient dipolarophiles to yield the corresponding 1,4‐epoxybenzo[d]heptalenes (cf. Schemes 6, 15, 17, and 19). The thermal reaction between dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (ADM) and 1 leads, kinetically controlled, via a sterically less‐congested transition state (Fig. 4) to the formation of the (M*)‐configured 1,4‐dihydro‐1,4‐epoxybenzo[a]heptalenes, which undergo a cyclic double‐bond shift to the energetically more‐relaxed benzo[d]heptalenes 4 (Schemes 6 and 7). Most of the latter ones exhibit under thermal conditions epimerization at the axis of chirality, so that the (M*)‐ and (P*)‐stereoisomers are found in reaction mixtures. The (P*)‐configured forms of 4 are favored in thermal equilibration experiments, in agreement with AM1 calculations (Table 1). The relative (P*,1S*,4R*)‐ and (M*,1S*,4R*)‐configuration of the crystalline main stereoisomers of the benzo[d]heptalene‐2,3‐dicarboxylates 4a and 4f , respectively, was unequivocally established by an X‐ray crystal‐structure determination (Figs. 1 and 2). Acid‐induced rearrangement of 4 led to the formation of the corresponding 4‐hydroxybenzo[a]heptalene‐2,3‐dicarboxylates 5 in moderate‐to‐good yields (Schemes 8, 13, and 14). When the aromatization reaction is performed in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), trifluoroacetates of type 6 and 13 (Schemes 8, 12, and 13) are also formed via deprotonation of the intermediate tropylium ions of type 7 (Scheme 11). Thermal reaction of 1 with dimethyl maleate gave the 2,3‐exo‐ and 2,3‐endo‐configured dicarboxylates 14 as mixtures of their (P*)‐ and (M*)‐epimers (Scheme 15). Treatment of these forms with lithium di(isopropyl)amide (LDA) at ?70° gave the expected benzo[a]heptalene‐2,3‐dicarboxylates 15 in good yields (Scheme 16). Fumaronitrile reacted thermally also with 1 to the corresponding 2‐exo,3‐endo‐ and 2‐endo,3‐exo‐configured adducts 17 , again as mixtures of their (P*)‐ and (M*)‐epimers (Scheme 17), which smoothly rearranged on heating in dimethoxyethane (DME) in the presence of Cs₂CO₃ to the benzo[a]heptalene‐2,3‐dicarbonitriles 18 (Scheme 18). Some cursory experiments demonstrated that hex‐3‐yne‐2,5‐dione and (E)/(Z)‐hexa‐3‐ene‐2,5‐dione undergo also the Diels–Alder‐type cycloaddition reaction with 1 (Scheme 19). The mixtures of the stereoisomers of the 2,3‐diacetyl‐1,4‐epoxytetrahydrobenzo[d]heptalenes 22 gave, on treatment with Cs₂CO₃ in DME at 80°, only mixtures of the regioisomeric inner aldol products 24 and 25 of the intermediately formed benzo[a]heptalenes 23 (Scheme 20).