Reactions of Sterically Hindered ‘Thiocarbonyl Ylides' with 1,2‐Bis(trifluoromethyl)ethene‐1,2‐dicarbonitrile: Isolation of a Cyclic Seven‐Membered Ketene Imine

When ‘thiocarbonyl ylide' 1A (=(2,2,4,4‐tetramethyl‐3‐oxocyclobutylidenesulfonio)methanide) is generated from the dihydrothiadiazole 5A by N₂ extrusion at 40° in the presence of 2,3‐bis(trifluoromethyl)fumaronitrile ((E)‐ 10 ), a cyclic seven‐membered ketene imine 11 and trans‐thiolane 12 are formed (81 : 19). The reaction of 1A with (Z)‐ 10 furnishes 11, 12 , and cis‐thiolane 25 in the ratio of 82 : 12 : 6. The strained ketene imine 11 is crystalline and storable as a consequence of the stabilizing ‘perfluoroalkyl effect'. The ketene imine group is stereogenic; 11 has a transoid structure with respect to the CF₃ groups, and there is no evidence for the cisoid diastereoisomer. Ketene imine 11 adds H₂O, MeOH, and PhNH₂. In solution at 60°, 11 undergoes an irreversible ring contraction, furnishing the thiolanes 12 / 25 98 : 2. The rate constant of this first‐order rearrangement increases 850‐fold, as the solvent polarity rises from cyclohexane to CD₃CN, in accordance with a zwitterionic intermediate. It is the same intermediate that is initially formed from 1A and 10 , and its intramolecular N‐ and C‐alkylation give rise to 11 and 12 + 25 , respectively. In contrast to 1A , thiocarbonyl ylide 27 , which harbors the sterically less‐demanding adamantylidene group, reacts with (E)‐ 10 to give trans‐thiolane 29 , but no ketene imine. The precursor 26 catalyzes the (Z)/(E) isomerization of 10 ((E)/(Z) ca. 95 : 5 at equilibrium), thus obviating conclusions on steric course and mechanism of this cycloaddition.     

Photocyclodimers of ‘Made‐to‐Measure’ Seven‐ and Six‐Membered Cyclic Enones

On irradiation (350 nm) in benzene as solvent, dioxepinone 6 and benzoxepinone 7 afford quantitatively mixtures of two diastereoisomeric head‐to‐head dimers, respectively. In both cases, on contact with SiO₂ the minor dimer containing trans‐ring fusions undergoes spontaneous isomerization to the (major) cis‐transoid‐cis diastereoisomer. In contrast, thiopyranone 8 is converted selectively, but in very low yield, to dimer 13 .     

1,2‐Bis(trifluoromethyl)ethene‐1,2‐dicarbonitrile and Vinyl Ethers: Cyclic Ketene Imines on the Pathway to 1 : 2 Cycloadducts

(E)‐ and (Z)‐1,2‐bis(trifluoromethyl)ethene‐1,2‐dicarbonitrile (BTE; (=E)‐ and (Z)‐1,2‐bis(trifluoromethyl)but‐2‐enedinitrile) were reacted with an excess of methyl vinyl ether, used as solvent, and furnished 1 : 2 adducts 6 (54%) and cyclobutanes 3 as 1 : 1 adducts (41%). The four diastereoisomeric bis‐adducts 6 (different ratios from (E)‐ and (Z)‐BTE) are derivatives of 1‐azabicyclo[4.2.0]oct‐5‐ene; X‐ray analyses and ¹⁹F‐NMR spectra revealed their structures. Since the cyclobutanes 3 are resistant to vinyl ether, the pathways leading to mono‐ and bis‐adducts must compete on the level of the intermediate l,4‐zwitterions 1 and 2 . The latter either cyclize to the cyclobutanes 3 or to six‐membered cyclic ketene imines 8 which accept a second molecule of vinyl ether to yield the bis‐adducts 6 . The occurrence of the highly strained ketene imines 8 gains credibility by comparison to stable seven‐membered cyclic ketene imines recently reported.     

1,2‐Bis(trifluoromethyl)ethene‐1,2‐dicarbonitrile: Enol Ethers and Ketene Acetals as Cycloaddition Partners

(E)‐ and (Z)‐1,2‐bis(trifluoromethyl)ethene‐1,2‐dicarbonitrile ((E)‐ and (Z)‐BTE, resp., =(E)‐ and (Z)‐2,3‐bis(trifluoromethyl)but‐2‐enedinitrile) were used as a stereochemical probe in studying (2+2) cycloadditions of acceptor with donor alkenes. The additions to methyl (E)‐ and (Z)‐propenyl ether gave rise to the eight conceivable cyclobutanes 8 , although in different ratios in reactions of (E)‐ and (Z)‐BTE. The ¹⁹F‐NMR data served the structural assignment and the quantitative analysis. The mechanistic discussion is based on rotations and ring closures of the assumed 1,4‐zwitterionic intermediates. Dimethylketene dimethyl acetal, methylketene dimethyl acetal, and ketene diethyl acetal show an increasing rate in their reactions with BTE as well as in the equilibration of the cycloadducts.     

Reactions of Methyl Diazoacetate with (E)‐ and (Z)‐1,2‐Bis(trifluoromethyl)ethene‐1,2‐dicarbonitrile: Novel and Unanticipated Pathways

The cycloadditions of methyl diazoacetate to 2,3‐bis(trifluoromethyl)fumaronitrile ((E)‐ BTE ) and 2,3‐bis(trifluoromethyl)maleonitrile ((Z)‐ BTE ) furnish the 4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazoles 13 . The retention of dipolarophile configuration proceeds for (E)‐ BTE with > 99.93% and for (Z)‐ BTE with > 99.8% (CDCl₃, 25°), suggesting concertedness. Base catalysis (1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO), proton sponge) converts the cycloadducts, trans‐ 13 and cis‐ 13 , to a 94 : 6 equilibrium mixture (CDCl₃, r.t.); the first step is N‐deprotonation, since reaction with methyl fluorosulfonate affords the 4,5‐dihydro‐1‐methyl‐1H‐pyrazoles. Competing with the cis/trans isomerization of 13 is the formation of a bis(dehydrofluoro) dimer (two diastereoisomers), the structure of which was elucidated by IR, ¹⁹F‐NMR, and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy. The reaction slows when DABCO is bound by HF, but F^? as base keeps the conversion to 22 going and binds HF. The diazo group in 22 suggests a common intermediate for cis/trans isomerization of 13 and conversion to 22 : reversible ring opening of N‐deprotonated 13 provides 18 , a derivative of methyl diazoacetate with a carbanionic substituent. Mechanistic comparison with the reaction of diazomethane and dimethyl 2,3‐dicyanofumarate, a related tetra‐acceptor‐ethylene, brings to light unanticipated divergencies.     

A Convenient,Selective Synthesis of Bis[2,4‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]phosphane Derivatives Starting from 1,3‐Bis(trifluoromethyl)benzene

The reaction of the sterically shielded phosphane derivative, dichlorodiethylaminophosphane, Cl₂PNEt₂, with an excess of a mixture of 2,6‐bis(trifluoromethyl) and 2,4‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl lithium gives bis[2,4‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]diethylaminophosphane, [2,4‐(CF₃)₂C₆H₃]₂PNEt₂, in 72 % yield as a colourless solid, while 2,6‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl lithium remains unchanged in solution. The amino derivative crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c (a 869.2(1), b 1857.4(1), c 1357.6(1) pm, β 100.57(4)°, Z = 4). Treatment of [2,4‐(CF₃)₂C₆H₃]₂PNEt₂ in CHCl₃ solution with conc. HCl allows the synthesis of [2,4‐(CF₃)₂C₆H₃)]₂PCl. [2,4‐(CF₃)₂C₆H₃]₂PCl reacts with H₂O in THF solution with quantitative formation of the corresponding secondary phosphane oxide. To obtain bis[2,4‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]phosphinic acid, [2,4‐(CF₃)₂C₆H₃]₂P(O)OH, quantitatively, a CHCl₃ solution of [2,4‐(CF₃)₂C₆H₃]₂P(O)H, has to be stirred in an NO₂ atmosphere. The phosphinic acid crystallizes is the triclinic space group (a 754.2(1), b 927.6(2), c 1305.5(2) pm, α 85.11(2)°, β 75.45(1)°, γ 79.99(2)°, Z = 2). From the reaction of the phosphinic acid with either elemental sodium or with cyanide salts, the corresponding phosphinate salts are obtained in an almost quantitatively yield.     

Facile Synthesis and Palladium‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling Reactions of 2,3‐Bis(pinacolatoboryl)‐1,3‐butadiene

Treatment of 1,1‐bis(pinacolatoboryl)ethene with an excess of 1‐bromo‐1‐lithioethene gave 2,3‐bis(pinacolatoboryl)‐1,3‐butadiene in high yield. Palladium‐catalyzed cross‐coupling of the resulting diborylbutadiene with aryl iodides took place smoothly in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd(OAc)₂/PPh₃ and aqueous KOH to give 2,3‐diaryl‐1,3‐butadienes in good yields. The coupling reaction with commercially available 4‐acetoxyphenylmethyl chloride under the same conditions followed by hydrolysis of the acetyl groups gave anolignan B in a one‐pot manner. A variety of [3]‐ to [6]dendralenes were synthesized by palladium‐catalyzed coupling of the diene or 1,1‐bis(pinacolato)borylethene with alkenyl or dienyl halides, respectively, in good yields.     

Synthesis of Functionalized Polynorbornanes Employing 2,5‐Bis(trifluoromethyl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole

Cycloaddition reaction of 2,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole with strained olefinic bonds of norbornenes was used to synthetize functionalized polynorbornanes. This simple, one step procedure was more effective when reaction was carried out by classical heating, in comparison to microwave‐assisted reactions. Various functional groups were stable in the reaction conditions (ester, imide, phthalimide, piperidyl, and carboxylic acid), whereas anhydride, N‐Boc, or TMS functionalities do not withstand reaction conditions.     

Distorted Fivefold‐Diamond Structure of 4,4‐Bis(2‐carboxyethyl)pimelic Acid (‘Methanetetrapropionic Acid’)

The molecules of 4,4‐bis(2‐carboxyethyl)pimelic acid (=4,4‐bis(2‐carboxyethyl)heptanedioic acid; 1 ) assemble to build up hollow, five‐fold interpenetrating diamond‐like networks in tetragonal crystals via standard pairwise H‐bonds between the carboxy groups. In keeping with the flat, extended molecular conformation of 1 of approximate D_2d symmetry, the supramolecular diamondoid networks are tetragonally compressed. Their mode of interpenetration is unusual and corresponds to that of adamantane‐1,3,5,7‐tetracarboxylic acid, which has an undistorted five‐fold diamond structure. Both the degree and the mode of interpenetration of 1 differ from those of the lower homologue 3,3‐bis(carboxymethyl)glutaric acid ( 2 ), which adopts a more‐common tetragonally elongated triple‐diamond architecture in the solid state.     

Rhodium‐Catalyzed Sequential Allylic Amination and Olefin Hydroacylation Reactions: Enantioselective Synthesis of Seven‐Membered Nitrogen Heterocycles

Dynamic kinetic asymmetric amination of branched allylic acetimidates has been applied to the synthesis of 2‐alkyl‐dihydrobenzoazepin‐5‐ones. These seven‐membered‐ring aza ketones are prepared in good yield with high enantiomeric excess by rhodium‐catalyzed allylic substitution with 2‐amino aryl aldehydes followed by intramolecular olefin hydroacylation of the resulting alkenals. This two‐step procedure is amenable to varied functionality and proves useful for the enantioselective preparation of these ring systems.     

1,2‐Bis(trifluoromethyl)ethene‐1,2‐dicarbonitrile: (2+2) Cycloadditions with Vinyl Ethers

The title compound (short version: BTE) occurs in (E)‐ and (Z)‐isomers (both with b.p. of ca. 100°) which equilibrate with nucleophilic catalysts. Both undergo (2+2) cycloadditions with methyl vinyl ether at 25°. Three stereogenic centers in the cyclobutanes led to four rac‐diastereoisomers, which were obtained in pure and crystalline state. The structures were elucidated by ¹⁹F‐NMR spectroscopy and confirmed by two X‐ray analyses. The cycloadditions were not stereospecific: e.g., (E)‐BTE furnished 73% trans‐adducts (with respect to the CF₃ groups) and 27% cis‐adducts. The loss of stereochemical integrity occurs in the intermediate gauche‐zwitterions which can cyclize or rotate, but not dissociate. Under extreme conditions (2M LiClO₄ in Et₂O, 70°, 3 months), the thermodynamic equilibrium of the four cyclobutanes was achieved. Considerations of Coulombic attraction and conformational strain in the zwitterionic intermediates allow us to rationalize the observed proportions of diastereoisomeric cyclobutanes. Ethyl vinyl ether and butyl vinyl ether furnished cyclobutanes in similar diastereoisomer ratios.     

Bis(enaminones) as Versatile Precursors for Novel Bis([1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidines) and Bis(2‐thioxo‐2,3‐dihydropyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4(1H)‐ones)

Novel bis([1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidines) and bis(2‐thioxo‐2,3‐dihydropyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4(1H)‐ones) were prepared utilizing bis(enaminones) as precursors. The structures of the prepared compounds were elucidated by several spectral tools as well as elemental analyses.     

Reactions of 2‐Unsubstituted 1H‐Imidazole 3‐Oxides with 2,2‐Bis(trifluoromethyl)ethene‐1,1‐dicarbonitrile: A Stepwise 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition

The reaction of 1,4,5‐trisubstituted 1H‐imidazole‐3‐oxides 1 with 2,2‐bis(trifluoromethyl)ethene‐1,1‐dicarbonitrile ( 7 , BTF) yielded the corresponding 1,3‐dihydro‐2H‐imidazol‐2‐ones 10 and 2‐(1,3‐dihydro‐2H‐imidazol‐2‐ylidene)malononitriles 11 , respectively, depending on the solvent used. In one example, a 1 : 1 complex, 12 , of the 1H‐imidazole 3‐oxide and hexafluoroacetone hydrate was isolated as a second product. The formation of the products is explained by a stepwise 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition and subsequent fragmentation. The structures of 11d and 12 were established by X‐ray crystallography.     

Advances in [4+3]‐Annulation/Cycloaddition Reactions Leading to Homo‐ and Heterocycles with Seven‐Membered Rings

In this review, we summarize advances in [4+3] and a few other annulation/cycloaddition reactions for the construction of seven membered rings, with an emphasis on the literature subsequent to the year 2010. The type of products include the following: azepines, diazepines, benzazepinones, 1,2‐diazepinones, oxazepinones, benzothiazepines, benzodiazepinones, benzoxopinones, cyclohepta[b]indoles, benzoxazepines, azepino‐indoles, oxepines/oxazepanes, triazepines oxepinoindolones/azepinoindolones, oxadiazepines, azabicyclooctanes. Emphasis is also given to cover diverse types of annulations; possible intermediates are displayed in the illustrated schemes to aid future work.     

3,4‐Bis(bromomethyl)thieno[2,3‐b]thiophene: Versatile Precursors for Novel Bis(triazolothiadiazines), Bis(quinoxalines), Bis(dihydrooxadiazoles), and Bis(dihydrothiadiazoles)

A synthesis of novel bis(triazolothiadiazines) 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , bis(quinoxalines) 16 and 17 , bis(thiadiazoles) 24 and 25 , and bis(oxadiazole) 31 , which are linked to the thieno[2,3‐b]thiophene core via phenoxymethyl group, was reported. Thus, reaction of the bis(α‐bromoketones) 6 and 7 with the corresponding 4‐amino‐3‐mercapto‐1,2,4‐triazole derivatives 8 , 9 , 10 in ethanol–DMF mixture in the presence of a few drops of triethylamine as a catalyst under reflux afforded the novel bis(5,6‐dihydro‐s‐triazolo[3,4‐b]thiadiazines) 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 in 60–72% yields. The bis(quinoxalines) 16 and 17 were also synthesized as a sole product in high yields by the reaction of 6 and 7 with o‐phenylenediamine 15 in refluxing acetonitrile in the presence of piperidine as a catalyst. Cyclization of the bis(aldehyde thiosemicarbazones) 20 and 21 with acetic anhydride afforded the corresponding bis(4,5‐dihydro‐1,3,4‐thiadiazolyl) derivatives 24 and 25 in good yield. Bis(5‐phenyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole) derivative 31 could be obtained in 67% yield by cyclization of the appropriate bis(N‐phenylhydrazone) 29 in refluxing acetic anhydride for 3 h.     

Metal‐Free Decarboxylative Cyclization/Ring Expansion: Construction of Five‐, Six‐, and Seven‐Membered Heterocycles from 2‐Alkynyl Benzaldehydes and Cyclic Amino Acids

A one pot synthesis of 1H‐benzo[g]indoles, tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinolines, and naphtho[1,2‐b]azepines from 2‐alkynyl benzaldehydes and cyclic amino acids is reported. The salient feature of the strategy involves formation of three new bonds (one C? N and two C? C bonds) by a metal‐free decarboxylation/cyclization/one‐carbon ring expansion sequence in one pot.     

[2+3] Cycloadditions of ‘Thiocarbonyl Ylides’ (= (Alkylidenesulfonio)methanides) and diazoalkanes with N,N′-(thiocarbonyl)diimidazole (= 1,1′-(carbonothioyl)bis[1H-imidazole])

Heating of a mixture of N,N′-(thiocarbonyl)diimidazole (= 1,1′-(carbonothioyl)bis[1H-imidazole]; 1 ) and 2,5-dihydro-1,3,4-thiadiazole 2a or 2b gave the 1,3-dithiolanes 4a and 4b , respectively, via a regiospecific 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of the corresponding ‘thiocarbonyl methanides’ 3a , b onto the C?S group of 1 (Schemes 1 and 2). The adamantane derivative 4b was not stable in the presence of 1H-imidazole and during chromatographic workup. The isolated 1,3-dithiole 5 is the product of a base-catalyzed elimination of 1H-imidazole from the initial cycloadduct 4b . The formation of the S,N-acetal 6 can be rationalized by a protonation of the ‘thiocarbonyl ylide’ 3b followed by a nucleophilic addition of 1H-imidazole. With the diazo compounds 8a–e (Scheme 3) 1 underwent a regiospecific 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to give the corresponding 2,5-dihydro-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives 9 , which spontaneously eliminated 1H-imidazole to yield (1H-imidazol-1-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazoles 10 . The structures of 10a and 10d were established by X-ray crystallography. In the case of diazodiphenylmethane ( 8f ), the initial cycloadduct 9f decomposed via a ‘twofold extrusion’ of N₂ and S to give 1,1′-(2,2-diphenylethenylidene)bis[1H-imidazole] ( 11 ; Scheme 3).     

Gold‐Catalyzed Stereocontrolled Synthesis of 2,3‐Bis(acetoxy)‐1,3‐dienes

Change the ligand, change the stereochemistry : 2,3‐Bis(acetoxy)‐1,3‐dienes are obtained in a stereocontrolled manner by a novel tandem 1,2‐/1,2‐bis(acetoxy) rearrangement (see scheme, R¹ and R² are δ⁺ stabilizing). Upon stabilization of the reaction intermediates, the ligand attached to gold controls the stereochemistry of the alkene in the second acetate migration, that is, N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) favor cis alkenes, whereas phosphine ligands selectively afford trans olefins.