A Fused Benzocyclooctene Ring System via an Aromatic Cope Rearrangement: Thermal Reactions of trans‐1‐Aryl‐2‐ethenylcyclobutanecarbonitriles

The results of an aromatic Cope rearrangement of a trans‐1‐aryl‐2‐ethenylcyclobutanecarbonitrile are reported (Scheme). The use of this rearrangement for the construction of the fused benzocyclooctene ring system and a preliminary study of the electronic requirements to favor such a transformation are also described.     

Tandem [2+2] cycloaddition and Cope rearrangement in reactions of cross-conjugated azatrienes with conjugated ketenes: a facile single step synthesis of novel azocinone derivatives

A facile single step synthesis of novel azocinone derivatives involving tandem [2+2] cycloaddition and Cope rearrangement in the reactions of cross-conjugated azatrienes with vinyl/isopropenyl ketenes supported by theoretical calculations is reported.     

Sequential Ir‐Catalyzed Allylation/2‐aza‐Cope Rearrangement Strategy for the Construction of Chiral Homoallylic Amines†

Sequential Ir‐catalyzed asymmetric allylation/2‐aza‐Cope rearrangement of arylidene aminomalonates with allylic carbonates was successfully developed, and a variety of enantioenriched homoallylic amine derivatives were obtained in high yields with good chirality transfer and excellent E/Z‐geometry control (up to 99% yield, 96% ee). Compared with previous dual catalytic system established for this transformation, the current mono metal catalytic system provides a simpler and more practical protocol employing the readily available starting materials.     

A Practical Domino‐Claisen–Cope Sequence in the Synthesis of New Blooming Citrus and Potent Floral Rose Alcohols

Fifty years after its first discovery by Alan Francis Thomas , we describe a versatile, metal and pressure‐free domino‐Claisen–Cope rearrangement using the readily available α ,β‐unsaturated aldehydes 5 or their acetals 5′ and allylic alcohols 6 . This transformation provides a convenient access to a large number of radiant citrus and floral rosy odorants. Odor profiles of novel floral rosy and citrus alcohols 13 , 14 , and 16 were studied. Compound 14ba has a floral, rosy, geranium‐like character and shows unique performance and diffusiveness. Compound 16ba has a clear main citrus odor character with a clean green grapefruit/rhubarb connotation. Both odorants have been successfully introduced to perfumery recently as Rosyfolia ™ ( 14ba ) and Pomelol ™ ( 16ba ).     

Gold(I)‐Catalyzed Desymmetrization of 1,4‐Dienes by an Enantioselective Tandem Alkoxylation/Claisen Rearrangement

An enantioselective alkoxylation/Claisen rearrangement reaction was achieved by a strategic desymmetrization of 1,4‐dienes under the catalysis of (S)‐DTBM‐Segphos(AuCl)₂/AgBF₄. This reaction system was highly selective for the formation of 3,3‐rearrangement products, providing cycloheptenes with various substitutions in good yield and good to excellent enantioselectivity. This transformation was further extended to bicyclic ring substrates, providing the opportunity to easily assemble 5,6‐ and 6,7‐fused ring systems.     

Synthesis of 1‐Arylnaphthalenes by Gold‐Catalyzed One‐Pot Sequential Epoxide to Carbonyl Rearrangement and Cyclization with Arylalkynes

Intermolecular and intramolecular reactions of a one‐pot gold‐catalyzed epoxide rearrangement followed by an electrophilic addition to arylalkynes to synthesize 1‐arylnaphthalenes have been reported. The intramolecular reaction has been applied to synthesize 1‐arylnaphthalenes fused with saturated furan, pyran, pyrrole, and cyclopentane ring systems.     

Application of Cope rearrangement in synthesis

Cope rearrangement is one of the pericyclic reactions in many organic rearrangements. It has high stereoselectivity and has been widely used in organic synthesis chemistry. Herein, the discovery, mechanism, and application of Cope rearrangement were analyzed and discussed.     

Facile Installation of 2‐Reverse Prenyl Functionality into Indoles by a Tandem N‐Alkylation–Aza‐Cope Rearrangement Reaction and Its Application in Synthesis

An unprecedented tandem N‐alkylation–ionic aza‐Cope (or Claisen) rearrangement–hydrolysis reaction of readily available indolyl bromides with enamines is described. Due to the complicated nature of the two processes, an operationally simple N‐alkylation and subsequent microwave‐irradiated ionic aza‐Cope rearrangement–hydrolysis process has been uncovered. The tandem reaction serves as a powerful approach to the preparation of synthetically and biologically important, but challenging, 2‐reverse quaternary‐centered prenylated indoles with high efficiency. Notably, unusual nonaromatic 3‐methylene‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐indole architectures, instead of aromatic indoles, are produced. Furthermore, the aza‐Cope rearrangement reaction proceeds highly regioselectively to give the quaternary‐centered reverse prenyl functionality, which often produces a mixture of two regioisomers by reported methods. The synthetic value of the resulting nonaromatic 3‐methylene‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐indole architectures has been demonstrated as versatile building blocks in the efficient synthesis of structurally diverse 2‐reverse prenylated indoles, such as indolines, indole‐fused sultams and lactams, and the natural product bruceolline D.     

A New Zincate‐Mediated Rearrangement Reaction of 2‐(1‐Hydroxyalkyl)‐1‐alkylcyclopropanol

A novel rearrangement of 2‐(1‐hydroxyalkyl)‐1‐alkylcyclopropanol has been found. It proceeds in the presence of a catalytic amount of organozinc ate complex to give vic‐diols. The rearrangement can be applied to various types of 2‐(1‐hydroxyalkyl)‐1‐alkylcyclopropanol, which can be easily prepared from the corresponding α,β‐epoxyketones and bis(iodozincio)methane. When bicyclo[13.1.0]pentadecane‐1,15‐diol was treated with the organozinc ate complex, the corresponding 14‐membered cyclic vic‐diol was obtained. Thus, this rearrangement is also useful for changing the ring size of cyclic substrates.     

Reduction vs. Addition: The Reaction of an Aluminyl Anion with 1,3,5,7‐Cyclooctatetraene

The potassium aluminyl complex K[Al(NON^Ar)] (NON=NON^Ar=[O(SiMe₂NAr)₂]^2?, Ar=2,6‐iPr₂C₆H₃) reacts with 1,3,5,7‐cyclooctatetraene (COT) to give K[Al(NON^Ar)(COT)]. The COT‐ligand is present in the asymmetric unit as a planar μ₂‐η²:η⁸‐bridge between Al and K, with additional K???π‐aryl interactions to neighboring molecules that generate a helical chain. DFT calculations indicate significant aromatic character, consistent with reduction to [COT]^2?. Addition of 18‐crown‐6 causes a rearrangement of the C₈‐carbocycle to form the isomeric 9‐aluminabicyclo[4.2.1]nona‐2,4,7‐triene anion.     

Synthesis of Polyketide Stereoarrays Enabled by a Traceless Oxonia‐Cope Rearrangement

Polyketide antibiotics bearing skipped polyols represent a synthetic challenge. A SiCl₄‐promoted oxonia‐Cope rearrangement of syn,syn‐2‐vinyl‐1,3‐diols was developed to forge an array of 1,5‐pentenediols, thus providing versatile motifs for the preparation of 1,2,3,5‐stereoarrays in a highly stereoselective manner. Further exploration with Sn(OTf)₂ realized the rearrangement of a cross‐aldehyde which tactically warrants the utility of the current approach to access complex polyketides. The origin of high stereoselectivity is attributed to a chairlike anti‐conformation of the oxonium ion intermediate.     

Intermolecular Reactions of γ‐Halocarbanions – Stepwise Analogs of 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition

γ‐Halocarbanions, short‐lived intermediates, add to electron‐deficient double bonds of aldehydes, Michael acceptors, and imines to form anionic adducts that enter intramolecular 1,5‐substitution to form five‐membered rings of tetrahydrofurans, cyclopentanes, and pyrrolidines, respectively. Although the γ‐halocarbanions can be generated by simple deprotonation of appropriate precursors, a wealth of other methods based on Lewis acid‐catalyzed opening of cyclopropanes with formation of dipolar species utilizes a similar mechanistic scheme. In our review, we analyze kinetic relations of elementary processes in the multistep transformations, and demonstrate how structural factors influence the mechanisms and selectivity of the reaction.     

The Thermal Rearrangement of an NHC‐Ligated 3‐Benzoborepin to an NHC‐Boranorcaradiene

An N‐heterocyclic‐carbene‐ligated 3‐benzoborepin with a bridged structure has been synthesized by double radical trans‐hydroboration of benzo[3,4]cycloundec‐3‐ene‐1,5‐diyne with an N‐heterocyclic carbene borane. The thermal reaction of the NHC‐ligated borepin at 150 °C gives an isolable NHC‐boranorcaradiene. Experiments and density functional theory calculations support a mechanism whereby the borepin initially rearranges to a boranorcaradiene by a thermal 6π‐electrocyclic reaction. This is followed by 1,5‐boron shift to give a rearranged boranorcaradiene. This shift occurs with stereoinversion at boron through a transition state with open‐shell diradical character. This is the first example of the isolation of a boranorcaradiene from a thermal reaction of a borepin.     

2‐Azido‐2‐deoxycellulose: Synthesis and 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition

Chitosan ( 1 ) was prepared by basic hydrolysis of chitin of an average molecular weight of 70000 Da, ¹H‐NMR spectra indicating almost complete deacetylation. N‐Phthaloylation of 1 yielded the known N‐phthaloylchitosan ( 2 ), which was tritylated to provide 3a and methoxytritylated to 3b . Dephthaloylation of 3a with NH₂NH₂?H₂O gave the 6‐O‐tritylated chitosan 4a . Similarly, 3b gave the 6‐O‐methoxytritylated 4b . CuSO₄‐Catalyzed diazo transfer to 4a yielded 95% of the azide 5a , and uncatalyzed diazo transfer to 4b gave 82% of azide 5b . Further treatment of 5a with CuSO₄ produced 2‐azido‐2‐deoxycellulose ( 7 ). Demethoxytritylation of 5b in HCOOH gave 2‐azido‐2‐deoxy‐3,6‐di‐O‐formylcellulose ( 6 ), which was deformylated to 7 . The 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of 7 to a range of phenyl‐, (phenyl)alkyl‐, and alkyl‐monosubstituted alkynes in DMSO in the presence of CuI gave the 1,2,3‐triazoles 8 – 15 in high yields.     

Tri‐ and Tetrasubstituted N‐Phthalimidoaziridines in 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition Reactions

The thermal reactions of the 2,2,3‐trisubstituted N‐phthalimidoaziridine 1a with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD), thioketones 4a – 4d , and dimethyl azodicarboxylate ( 5 ) proceed even at room temperature leading to the five‐membered cycloadducts 2a, 6 – 8 , and 12 , respectively, with retention of the spatial arrangement of the aziridine substituents, in contrast to the expectation based on the conservation of orbital symmetry in concerted reactions. The analogous reactions of the tetrasubstituted phthalimidoaziridine 1b with thioketones at 40° lead to the 1,3‐thiazolidine derivatives 10 and 11 as mixtures of diastereoisomers. These unexpected results may be explained by either the isomerization of the intermediate azomethine ylides or a non‐concerted stepwise cycloaddition reaction of these ylides with the dipolarophiles. The structures of some adducts have been determined by X‐ray crystallography.