Regiochemistry in radical cyclization of allenes

The cyclization of allenic radicals was systematically studied for the first time by computational methods. It was found that the theoretical results at the ONIOM(QCISD(T)/6-311+G(2df,2p):UB3LYP/6-311+G(2df,2p)) level were in good agreement with all the available experimental data. For the cyclization of penta-3,4-dien-1-yl radicals the major product was penta-1,2-diene from direct reduction whereas a small amount of vinylcyclopropane may also be produced. For the cyclization of hexa-4,5-dien-1-yl radicals the major product is 1-methyl-cyclopentene. Furthermore, for the cyclization of hepta-5,6-dien-1-yl radicals both vinylcyclopentane and 1-methyl-cyclohexene are produced. Marcus theory analysis indicated that the formation of an olefinic radical product always had a lower intrinsic energy barrier than the formation of an allylic radical product. On the other hand, the formation of an olefinic radical product was always much less favorable than the formation of an allylic radical product in the thermodynamic term. For the cyclization of substituted hexa-4,5-dien-1-yl radicals, substitution at the allene moiety does not affect the regioselectivity where the allylic radical product is always favored. For the cyclization of hepta-5,6-dien-1-yl radicals, substitution at the allene moiety dramatically affects the regioselectivity, where some radical-stabilizing groups such as -CN and -COMe may even completely reserve the regioselectivity.     

A study of aryl radical cyclization in enaminone esters

Aryl radical cyclization in N-phenyl, N-benzyl, and N-phenethyl enaminone esters 1a-f was studied. N-Benzyl and N-phenethyl enaminones afforded 5-exo and 6-exo cyclization products, respectively, but radical cyclization did not occur in N-phenyl enaminones. The rate constants for the 5-exo and 6-exo cyclization processes in secondary enaminones were estimated as being on the order of 10(7) s(-1) at 353 K; since DNMR experiments showed the rate constant for rotation around the enaminone C3-N bond to be on the order of 10(4) s(-1) at this temperature, the initial enaminone configuration is maintained throughout the cyclization process. PM3 calculations suggested that the nonoccurrence of endo and 4-exo cyclizations is due to the corresponding transition structures involving significant distortion of the conjugated enaminone system.     

Regioselective synthesis of heterocyclic scaffold by aryl radical cyclization

Regioselective synthesis of a number of coumarin‐annulated pentacyclic heterocycles have been achieved by tri‐n‐butyltin hydride‐mediated aryl radical cyclization. The products are formed as a mixture of cis‐ and trans‐ forms which were successfully separated by careful silica gel flash chromatography.     

Mechanistic study of 7-endo selective radical cyclization of the aryl radical

Mechanistic studies on the novel 7-endo selective radical cyclization were carried out. The reaction afforded three products, 7-endo product, 6-exo product, and reduced product. The distribution of these products was estimated by GC analyses. The 7-endo/6-exo selectivity was almost constant against variation in the concentration of Bu₃SnH, while the reduction/cyclization ratio was sensitive to the concentration of Bu₃SnH. The reduction/cyclization ratio was mainly affected by the rotational isomeric ratio of the cyclization precursor. Kinetic analyses indicated that the cyclization process should be irreversible, and the rate constant of 7-endo/6-exo radical cyclization was estimated to be about 3.3 × 10⁸ s⁻¹ at 80 °C.     

Synthesis of (-)-aphanorphine using aryl radical cyclization

[structure: see text] The synthesis of (-)-aphanorphine was achieved by using Bu(3)SnH-mediated aryl radical cyclization of 1-benzyloxycarbonyl-2-(2-bromo-4-methoxyphenylmethyl)-2-methoxycarbonyl-4-(phenylthiomethylene)pyrrolidine, leading to exclusive formation of the 6-exo cyclization product.     

7-endo selective aryl radical cyclization onto enamides leading to 3-benzazepines: concise construction of a cephalotaxine skeleton

Bu3SnH-mediated radical cyclizations of 2-(2-bromophenyl)-N-ethenylacetamide gave 6-exo cyclization product 15 as the major product, whereas N-[2-(2-bromophenyl)ethyl]-N-ethenylamides gave almost exclusively 7-endo cyclization products. These results indicated that the position of the carbonyl group on enamide played an important role in deciding the course of the cyclization. The 7-endo selective cyclization was applied to concise construction of a cephalotaxine skeleton.     

Regioselective synthesis of quinolone-annulated sulfur heterocycles by aryl radical cyclization

The tin hydride-mediated cyclizations of a number of sulfides and sulfones under mild, neutral conditions, have been investigated accompanied by some amount of β-scission product for sulfides. The sulfides were derived from 4-mercaptoquinolone and 2-bromobenzyl bromides by phase transfer catalyzed reaction and the corresponding sulfones were prepared by treatment of the sulfides with m-CPBA at room temperature. The sulfides and the corresponding sulfones were then reacted with ⁿBu₃SnH-AIBN to give regioselective quinolone-annulated sulfur heterocycles.     

Total synthesis of mappicine ketone (nothapodytine B) by means of sulfur-directed 5-exo-selective aryl radical cyclization onto enamides

Enamides 5, on treatment with Bu(3)SnH-AIBN, underwent aryl radical cyclization in a 5-exo manner to give 1-[bis(phenylthio)methyl]dihydroisoindoles 6, which were partially desulfurized with Bu(3)SnH-AIBN to give 1-mono(phenylthio)methyl congeners 7. Formation of 6 from 5 may be explained by the presence of two phenylthio groups at the terminus of the N-vinylic bond of 5, since enamide 8a having no phenylthio group underwent aryl radical cyclization in a 6-endo manner. Compound 7d (R = CF(3)) was transformed into sulfoxide 16, which was treated with (CF(3)CO)(2)O and then with 10% NaOH to give a model compound 20 of mappicine ketone (MPK) (1) through aldol condensation of aldehyde 18. An attempt to synthesize MPK using this method with sulfoxide 28 prepared from 25, however, was unsuccessful, and, instead, photochemical cyclization of enamide 38 prepared from 25 furnished MPK.     

Synthetic applications of aryl radical building blocks for cyclisation onto azoles

2-(2-Bromophenyl)ethyl groups have been used as building blocks in radical cyclisation reactions onto azoles to synthesise tri- and tetra-cyclic heterocycles. 2-(2-Bromophenyl)ethyl methanesulfonate was used to alkylate azoles (imidazoles, pyrroles, indoles and pyrazoles) for the synthesis of the radical precursors. Cyclisations of the intermediate aryl radicals yield new 6-membered rings attached to the azoles. The aryl radicals undergo intramolecular homolytic aromatic substitution onto the azole rings. Tributylgermanium hydride has been used with success to replace the toxic and troublesome tributyltin hydride. Initial studies show that the protocol can be used on solid phase resins. The molecular and crystal structures of methyl 5,6-dihydroimidazo[5,1-a]iso-quinoline-1-carboxylate and methyl 5,6-dihydroimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinoline-3-carboxylate were determined by X-ray crystallography.     

Formation of benzo-fused carbocycles by formal radical cyclization onto an aromatic ring

An indirect method for effecting radical carbocyclization onto aromatic rings is described. Cross-conjugated dienones such as 13, readily prepared by Birch reduction of aromatic tert-butyl esters, in situ alkylation, and oxidation (10 --> 11 --> 12 --> 13), undergo radical cyclization; the products (14) are aromatized by silylation, Saegusa oxidation, and treatment with BiCl3.H2O. A noteworthy feature of this route is that it provides opportunities to attach an additional substituent to the original aromatic ring.     

Formal radical cyclization onto benzene rings--a general method proceeding via cross-conjugated dienones

Cross-conjugated dienones of type 5 (X = I), which are readily available from phenols, undergo radical cyclization (5 --> 6 --> 7), and the products are easily aromatized (7 --> 8), giving substances that are formally derived by radical cyclization onto a benzene ring (cf. eqn. (1)).     

Conversion of thiobenzamides to benzothiazoles via intramolecular cyclization of the aryl radical cation

A new and general method has been developed for the intramolecular cyclization of thiobenzamides to benzothiazoles via aryl radical cations as reactive intermediates. The method utilizes phenyliodine(III) bis(trifluoroacetate) (PIFA) in trifluoroethanol or cerium ammonium nitrate (CAN) in aqueous acetonitrile at room temperature to effect cyclization within 30 min in moderate yields.     

A radical cyclization between enol silyl ethers and aryl or alkenyl bromide moieties

Enol silyl ethers bearing aryl or alkenyl bromide moieties at their appropriate positions undergo radical cyclization in the presence of Bu₃SnH and AIBN to yield the corresponding 5- and 6-membered cycloalkanols in good yields.     

Regiochemistry of the metal-halogen exchange induced cyclization of ω-iodoepoxides

The regiochemistry of the cyclization reations of some ω-lithioepoxides as a function of chain length and substitution pattern has been examined. Striking changes in regiochemistry have been observed in the presence of certain Lewis acids and metal halides.     

Synthesis of (+)-nocardione A--use of formal radical cyclization onto a benzene ring

Juglone (7) was converted into enone 13; this underwent radical cyclization to afford 15, which was aromatized to 16 and elaborated into (+)-nocardione A (1), the enantiomer of the naturally-occurring tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor (-)-nocardione A (2).     

Intermolecular radical addition and addition/cyclization reactions of alkoxyamines onto nonactivated alkenes

[reaction: see text] Alkoxyamines A, which are readily prepared from commercially available starting materials, undergo efficient thermal radical carboaminoxylations onto various nonactivated alkenes to provide 1,4-functionalized malonates B in good to excellent yields. The experiments are very easy to conduct. The carboaminoxylations can be combined with radical cyclization and fragmentation processes.     

Regiochemistry of copper(I)-mediated cyclization reactions of halo-dienamides

Reaction of 2-substituted dienamides with catalytic amounts of copper halide/tripyridylamine (TPA) furnishes either 5-exo or 6-endo products with the outcome dependent upon the radical initiating unit. Reaction of 3-substituted dienamides produces beta-lactams via a 4-exo cyclization with termination of the reaction occurring via either halogen atom transfer, trapping with oxygen, elimination, or radical-radical coupling depending upon the diene.     

Synthesis of biaryls via intermolecular radical addition of heteroaryl and aryl bromides onto arenes

Tris(trimethylsilyl)silane (TTMSS) and azobisisobutironitrile (AIBN) promoted the easy intermolecular arylation of aryl and heteroaryl bromides under thermal conditions via a radical pathway.