Reactivity of 4-Hydroxy-2-pyrones in the Diels-Alder Reactions

Biphenylcarboxylic acid derivatives, and some tetracyclic bridge cycloadducts have been prepared by Diels-Alder reactions of acetylenic and olefinic dienophiles with 4-hydrpxy-6-phenyl-2H-pyran-2-one and its methyl ether derivative.     

Intramolecular [4 + 2] cycloadditions of iminoacetonitriles: a new class of azadienophiles for hetero Diels-Alder reactions

Iminoacetonitriles participate as reactive dienophiles in stereoselective intramolecular hetero Diels-Alder reactions which afford substituted quinolizidines. The cycloadduct with exo-oriented cyano group is obtained as the major or exclusive product of the reaction as a consequence of the alpha-amino nitrile anomeric effect The alpha-amino nitrile moieties incorporated in the cycloadducts constitute latent iminium ions, which upon exposure to mild protic or Lewis acids are unmasked, setting the stage for further useful synthetic transformations. For example, reductive decyanation with NaBH3CN excises the cyano group, while Bruylants reaction with Grignard reagents and acetylides lead to alpha-substituted amines. The substrates for these [4 + 2] cycloadditions are prepared from readily available alcohols via a Mitsunobu coupling reaction with the previously unknown, easily prepared reagent HN(Tf)CH2CN followed by cesium carbonate promoted elimination of trifluoromethanesulfinate.     

Is anthracene cofactor or spectator for the thermolysis of anthracenyl acylnitroso cycloadducts in the presence of a diene?

Acylnitroso species are very reactive dienophiles broadly used in organic synthesis. They are traditionally prepared from the oxidation of hydroxamic acids at low temperature. When this strategy fails, acylnitroso compounds may be generated from other stable sources, for example, their (9,10-dimethyl)anthracenyl cycloadducts. The thermolysis of such compounds performed in the presence of a diene leads generally to the corresponding hetero Diels-Alder (HD-A) cycloadduct in high yield with concomitant release of anthracene. The most widely accepted mechanism is the postulated slow release of acylnitroso via a retro Diels-Alder process, although the anthracenyl acylnitroso cycloadducts bear intrinsic structural features suggesting another pathway, that is, an exchange process. By using computational chemistry, we have hereby clarified the exact role of anthracene in this reaction.     

Diels-Alder reactions of N-acyl-2-alkyl(aryl)-5-vinyl-2,3-dihydro-4-pyridones

Readily available N-acyl-5-vinyl-2,3-dihydro-4-pyridones undergo Diels-Alder cyclization with various dienophiles to afford novel octahydroquinolines containing synthetically useful functionality. With dihydropyridone 5 and cis-disubstituted dienophiles, the resulting cycloadducts were obtained as single diastereomers in good to excellent yield. The corresponding reaction of 5 with methyl acrylate, acrylonitrile, and phenyl vinyl sulfone showed modest preference for the endo adducts. The effect of the dihydropyridone C-2 and C-4 substituents on the degree of diastereofacial control was examined. By using this methodology, the core decahydroquinoline skeleton of gephyrotoxin was prepared in a stereocontrolled fashion. Interesting reactivity was observed with certain dienophiles leading to ring-opening of the initially formed cycloadducts. This tandem reaction provides a route to uniquely substituted beta-aminoketones, alcohols, and unnatural amino acids.     

Dual behavior of masked o-benzoquinones in intermolecular Diels-Alder reactions with acyclic dienes: a rapid entry to polyfunctionalized bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-en-2-ones and cis-decalins

The potentiality of the masked o-benzoquinones, i.e., 6,6-dimethoxy-2,4-cyclohexadienones 5-8, to react both as dienes and dienophiles in their intermolecular reactions has been demonstrated. The masked o-benzoquinones (MOBs) 5-8 generated in situ from 2-methoxyphenols 1-4 underwent intermolecular Diels-Alder cycloadditions with acyclic 1,3-dienes 9a-e to provide bicyclo[2.2.2]octenones 10a-f-13a-f along with cis-decalin derivatives 14a-f-17a-f with regio- and stereoselectivity, except in the case of MOB 8. The formation of cis-decalins in these Diels-Alder reactions illustrates the dienophilic character of MOBs, in addition to their general behavior as dienes. The ratio of the two cycloadducts obtained in each reaction as a result of the dual character of MOBs depends on the nature and/or position of the substituents on both the cyclohexadienone moiety and the added conjugated acyclic diene. All of the cycloadducts resulted from the diene property of MOBs in intermolecular Diels-Alder reactions smoothly underwent Cope rearrangement to furnish cis-decalins as sole products in excellent to quantitative yields.     

New synthetic approach to α-fluoro-β-arylvinyl sulfones and their application in Diels-Alder reactions

A new pathway towards α-fluoro-β-arylvinyl sulfones was elaborated. The reaction of β-bromo-β-fluorostyrenes with sodium 4-methylphenylsulfinate proceeds with maximum 94:6 stereoselectivity and 72-90% yields. The formed α-fluoro-β-arylvinyl sulfones were found to be good dienophiles for Diels-Alder reactions with simple 1,3-dienes. From corresponding (E)-configured dienophiles and cyclopentadiene, cycloadducts bearing the fluorine substituent in exo-position were formed predominantly, while with diphenylisobenzofuran the products with endo-orientation of the fluorine were obtained as the major products. From these cycloadducts, as a proof of principle, p-toluenesulfinic acid was eliminated to give 2-fluoro-3-(4-nitrophenyl)norbornadiene, the formal [4+2]-cycloadduct of cyclopentadiene and 1-fluoro-2-(4-nitrophenyl)acetylene, or the corresponding diphenylisobenzofuran cycloadducts, respectively. This reaction was not successful when other β-hydrogen atoms are accessible for elimination.     

An experimental and computational investigation of the Diels-Alder cycloadditions of halogen-substituted 2(H)-pyran-2-ones

[reaction: see text] Diels-Alder reactions of 3- and 5-halo-subsituted 2(H)-pyran-2-ones with both electron-rich and electron-deficient dienophiles afford stable and readily isolable bridged bicyclic lactone cycloadducts. These cycloadditions proceed with excellent regioselectivity and very good stereoselectivity. In contrast, Diels-Alder reactions of 4-halo-subsituted 2(H)-pyran-2-ones afford cycloadducts which are very prone to loss of bridging CO(2) and the subsequent formation of barrelenes ([2.2.2]cyclooctenes). Furthermore, these cycloadditions proceed with only moderate regio- and stereoselectivity. For both series of the 3- and 5-halo-subsituted 2(H)-pyran-2-ones and 4-halo-subsituted 2(H)-pyran-2-ones, the reactivity patterns do not significantly change between the halogens. The regio- and stereochemical preferences of the cycloadditions of halo-substituted 2(H)-pyran-2-ones are investigated computationally. Calculations were carried out on the transition states leading to the four possible regio- and stereoisomeric cycloadducts by using density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31G). These studies allow prediction of the regio- and stereoselectivity in these reactions which are broadly in line with experimental observations.     

Highly diastereoselective Diels-Alder reactions of Baylis-Hillman adducts

[reaction: see text] Baylis-Hillman adducts were found to be excellent dienophiles in Diels-Alder reactions, providing essentially complete diastereocontrol (although mixtures of endo/exo isomers) with all dienes.     

A one-pot regiospecific synthesis of highly functionalized 1,4-benzodioxin derivatives from an electrochemically induced Diels-Alder reaction

[reaction: see text] The anodic oxidation of pyrogallol derivatives produces chemically unstable o-quinone heterodienes, which are trapped in situ by enamine dienophiles through regiospecific inverse-electron-demand Diels-Alder reactions. The possibility of introducing variations in both cycloaddition partners gives rise to highly substituted 1,4-benzodioxin cycloadducts with up to five elements of diversity. The reactions proceed under mild conditions with a good efficiency. The methodology should be amenable to the assembly of libraries of biologically relevant heterocycles.     

Organocatalytic multicomponent alpha-methylenation/Diels-Alder reactions: a versatile route to substituted cyclohexenecarbaldehyde derivatives

This article describes the design and optimization of an effective organocatalytic three-component domino alpha-methylenation/Diels-Alder reaction to produce vinyl-substituted cyclohexenecarboxaldehydes in a highly regioselective fashion. In these one-pot transformations, 2-formyl-1,3-butadienes (4) were prepared in situ from alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes and formalin and were subsequently trapped with a variety of buta-1,3-dienes. The outcomes of the reactions were dependent on the electronic properties of the dienes. 1-Vinylcyclohexenecarbaldehydes 6 were formed by use of acyclic electron-rich dienes, while the initially formed cycloadducts of 4 with cyclopentadiene underwent Cope rearrangements, leading to the formation of tetrahydro-3H-indene-5-carbaldehyde compounds 7. The mechanisms involved in these reactions were deduced from experimental findings. Furthermore, the method was also extended to one-pot domino methylenation/Diels-Alder reactions of dihydrofurans and dihydropyrans to yield spirocyclic lactols 22. In these reactions, the unstable intermediate hydroxyethyl and hydroxypropyl acroleins behaved as dienophiles, undergoing cycloaddition reactions with dienes with good yields and selectivities. The wide variety of functionalized 1-vinylcyclohex-3-enecarbaldehydes 6, 4-vinylcyclohex-1-enecarbaldehydes 7, and spiro lactols 22 generated through the use of these organocatalytic domino processes as a diversity-oriented synthesis provided useful intermediates for the construction of novel odorants.     

Studies toward the total synthesis of axinellamine and massadine

Intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions of several N-O linked 4-vinylimidazole dimers provide the expected adduct in moderate to good yield as a single, all trans stereoisomer, along with smaller amounts of the inverse electron demand adduct. Oxidative rearrangement of the cycloadducts occurs on treatment with Davis' reagent, providing a single spiro imidazolone in good yield and with excellent levels of stereocontrol albeit epimeric at the spiro center found in axinellamine and massadine.     

Intramolecular Cyclization Strategies Toward the Synthesis of Zoanthamine Alkaloids

Stabilized 2-amino-1,3-dienes can participate in intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) reactions with pendant dienophiles. We found that these dienes can be readily prepared via standard palladium-mediated coupling reactions and have comparable reactivity to 2-oxodienes. Application of these substrates to the synthesis of tetracyclic model systems representing the ABCE motif of the zoanthamines is presented.     

Synthesis and reactivity of a stable precursor of 2-cyano-1,3-butadiene

A new, productive synthesis of 3-cyano-2,5-dihydrothiophene-1,1-dioxide (3) is described. This substituted sulfolene serves as a stable precursor of 2-cyano-1,3-butadiene and can be used in the Diels-Alder reactions without isolation of the unstable diene.The Diels-Alder reactions of 2-cyano-1,3-butadiene appear to proceed in high yield only with electron-deficient dienophiles, but ¹³C NMR shows that in some cases the products are a mixture of regioisomeric cycloadducts.     

A novel and efficient stereo-controlled synthesis of hexahydroquinolinones via the diene-transmissive hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of cross-conjugated azatrienes with ketenes and electrophilic dienophiles

The diene-transmissive hetero-Diels-Alder (DTHDA) reactions of cross-conjugated azatrienes (divinylimines or penta-1,4-dien-3-imines) having an N-aryl, N-alkyl, or N-dimethylamino substituent have been examined. The initial reaction of the azatrienes with diphenylketene at room temperature yielded β-lactams of [2+2] cycloadducts, which upon heating underwent [1,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement to produce the formal [4+2] cycloadducts. The reaction of N-phenylazatriene with dimethylketene or dichloroketene produced the [2+2] cycloadducts only, while the reaction of N-(dimethylamino)azatriene with dichloroketene gave the [4+2] cycloadduct without heating. When the [2+2] cycloadduct has two different vinyl substituents at C-4 of the β-lactam ring, the regioselectivity of the rearrangement depends on steric factors and the electronic demand of the substituents. The second Diels-Alder reaction of the initial [4+2] cycloadducts with electron-deficient dienophiles (TCNE, N-phenylmaleimide) stereoselectively yielded hexahydroquinolinone derivatives. Similarly, a tandem intermolecular-intramolecular mode of the aza-DTHDA reactions produced tetracyclic nitrogen-containing heterocycles in a regio- and stereoselective manner.     

A novel and facile stereocontrolled synthetic method for polyhydro-quinolines and pyridopyridazines via a diene-transmissive Diels-Alder reaction involving inverse electron-demand hetero Diels-Alder cycloaddition of cross-conjugated azatrienes

Cross-conjugated azatrienes bearing an electron-withdrawing sulfonyl or benzoyl group on the nitrogen atom underwent, on heating or in the presence of a Lewis acid (TMSOTf), an initial inverse electron-demand hetero Diels-Alder reaction with electron-rich dienophiles (vinyl ether, vinyl thioether, and allenyl ether) to produce 1:1 cycloadducts with high endo selectivity. The initial cycloadducts thus obtained underwent a second Diels-Alder reaction stereoselectively on the newly formed diene unit with electron-deficient dienophiles to give the crossed bis-cycloadducts, octahydroquinolines, with high diastereo-π-facial selectivity. The N-sulfonylazatrienes tethering an ortho-cinnamyloxyphenyl dienophile at the triene terminal underwent an initial intramolecular hetero Diels-Alder reaction of the inverse electron-demand type. The subsequent second Diels-Alder reaction of the formed mono-cycloadducts completed the diene-transmissive hetero Diels-Alder protocol to give benzopyrano[3,4-c]quinolines in a highly stereoselective manner.     

Synthesis of 4-aryl- and 4-alkyl-2-silyl-1,3-butadienes and their Diels-Alder/cross-coupling reactions

An ene-yne cross methasis of silyl-substituted alkynes and alkenes has been developed as a route to 4-aryl- and 4-alkyl-2-silyl-substituted 1,3-dienes. The dienes prepared were used to affect highly diastereoselective Diels-Alder reactions and then the silicon-substituted Diels-Alder cycloadducts were used in Hiyama cross-coupling reactions. The cross-coupling reactions enable these silicon dienes to be used as synthons for a variety of other dienes one might prepare and need access to. Two of the silicon-substituted Diels-Alder cycloadducts and one of the Hiyama cross-coupling products were also characterized by X-ray crystallography.     

Intermolecular Diels-Alder reactions of brominated masked o-benzoquinones with electron-deficient dienophiles. A detour method to synthesize bicyclo[2.2.2]octenones from 2-methoxyphenols

Intermolecular Diels-Alder reactions of masked o-benzoquinones, i.e., 6,6-dimethoxy-2,4-cyclohexadienones 5-7 and 21-24 generated from 2-methoxyphenols 1-3 and 17-20, respectively, with electron-deficient dienophiles leading to highly functionalized bicyclo[2.2.2]octenones are described. The masked o-benzoquinones (MOBs) 5-7 underwent Diels-Alder cycloadditions with methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, and methyl vinyl ketone to provide bicyclo[2.2.2]octenones 13a-c to 15a-c (direct method) in low to moderate yields with the concomitant formation of considerable amounts of dimers 9-11. To retard dimerization and to improve the yields of the requisite bicyclo[2.2.2]octenones, a detour method comprised of sequential bromination of 2-methoxyphenols 1-4, oxidation and Diels-Alder reaction, and debromination has been developed. The oxidation of bromophenols 17-20 produced MOBs 21-24 which are stable enough to be isolated. The MOBs 21-24 underwent cycloaddition with electron-deficient dienophiles in a very efficient manner to afford the corresponding cycloadducts 25a-c to 28a-c in good to high yields without self-dimerization. When the cycloadducts 25a-c to 28a-c were treated with either Bu(3)SnH/AIBN or tributylammonium formate-palladium reagent, the corresponding debrominated products 13a-cto 16a-c were obtained in high to excellent yields. In general, the cycloadducts 13a-c to 15a-c were obtained in 20-40% higher yields via the detour method than those via the direct method. In both routes, the Diels-Alder reactions proceeded in a highly regio- and stereoselective manner to furnish a single cycloadduct in each case.     

β-Sulfonylnitroolefins as very reactive alkyne-equivalents in Diels-Alder reactions

Very reactive dienophiles, β-sulfonylnitroolefins, are prepared starting from β-nitro alcohols. The high activation due to the nitro and the sulfonyl groups promotes the Diels-Alder reaction to various dienes under mild conditions. Reductive elimination of the adduct with Bu₃SnH gives cyclic 1,4-dienes.     

Computational and experimental investigation of the Diels-Alder cycloadditions of 4-chloro-2(H)-pyran-2-one

4-Chloro-2(H)-pyran-2-one undergoes thermal Diels-Alder cycloaddition with electron-deficient dienophiles to afford, without any significant selectivity, 6-endo- and 5-endo-substituted bicyclic lactone cycloadducts. In contrast to 3- and 5-bromo-2(H)-pyran-2-one, 4-chloro-2(H)-pyran-2-one does not undergo thermal cycloadditions with electron-rich dienophiles. The regio- and stereochemical preferences of the cycloadditions of 4-chloro-2(H)-pyran-2-one and other related 2(H)-pyran-2-ones are investigated computationally. Calculations were carried out on the transition states leading to the four possible regio- and stereoisomeric cycloadducts using density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31G). These studies allow prediction of the regio- and stereoselectivity in these reactions which are in line with experimental observations.     

Selective synthesis of multiply substituted 7-norbornenone derivatives or Diels-Alder cycloadducts from 1,2,3,4-tetrasubstituted 1,3-butadienes and maleic anhydride with or without Lewis acids

Reactions of 1,2,3,4-tetrasubstituted 1,3-butadienes with maleic anhydride and other dienophiles were investigated with or without addition of Lewis acid. When the silylated 1,3-butadienes, such as 1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,3-butadienes or 1-trimethylsilyl-1,3-butadienes, were treated with maleic anhydride in the presence of 2 equiv of AlCl₃, multi-substituted 7-norbornenones of well-defined exo,exo-disubstituted patterns were produced by an unprecedented and synthetically useful tandem process. Although some tetrasubstituted 1,3-butadienes could react directly with maleic anhydride under relative harsh conditions to afford Diels-Alder cycloadducts, the reactions, in the presence of 1 equiv of AlCl₃, afforded the corresponding cycloadducts in higher yields under mild conditions. These results showed that the size and substitution pattern of substituents on the butadienyl skeleton played a very important role in the reactivity of butadienes as a partner for the Diels-Alder reaction and Lewis acid could promote and/or realize the process of a Diels-Alder reaction.