Photoinduced Electron Transfer Reactions of alpha-Cyclopropyl- and alpha-Epoxy Ketones. Tandem Fragmentation-Cyclization to Bi-, Tri-, and Spirocyclic Ketones

Reductive photoinduced electron transfer (PET) reactions have been performed with various bicyclic alpha-cyclopropyl-substituted ketones and tertiary amines. The reaction resulted in a regioselective cleavage of one cyclopropyl bond under formation of an exocyclic radical with an endocyclic enolate unit. In the case of bicyclic ketones with an unsaturated side chain, various bicyclic, spirocyclic, and tricyclic products are accessible via radical cyclization, depending on the position of the alkenyl substituent. In addition to triethylamine, N-silylated amines have also been used as electron donors, leading to a variety of compounds, among them are silylated fragmentation products, indicating that a proton is transferred from not only the amine radical cation but also the cationic silyl group. The intramolecular Paternó-Büchi reaction has also been studied for cyclopropane derivatives of the jasmone type leading to tetracyclic oxetanes. Finally, alpha-epoxy-substituted ketones have been investigated under PET conditions, yielding ring-opened products.     

Cyclic alkenenitriles: synthesis, conjugate addition, and stereoselective annulation

O-Alkylation of unsaturated silyl cyanohydrins with DMSO-Ac2O triggers a rearrangement to methylthiomethyl-protected hydroxyalkenenitriles that are easily hydrolyzed for subsequent annulations with omega-chloroalkyl Grignard reagents. Deprotonating the gamma-hydroxyalkenenitriles with t-BuMgCl followed by addition of omega-chloroalkyl Grignard reagents triggers a conjugate addition-alkylation sequence leading exclusively to cis-octalins, hydrindanes, and decalins. Stereoelectronic control favors an axial conjugate addition leading to a particularly reactive conformer that rapidly cyclizes to cis-fused bicyclic nitriles, whereas generating the ring-flipped conformer, through a stepwise sequence, allows access to the diastereomeric trans-decalin. Collectively, the rearrangement-annulation sequence represents the first general annulation of alkenenitriles to assemble diverse bicyclic nitriles with complete control over the two newly installed stereocenters.     

High-yield formation of giant bis(bicyclic) and crypt-tris(bicyclic) molecules under normal reaction conditions

We report the unexpected result of the reaction of 1, 3-bis[(9-anthrylmethoxy)methyl]benzene (1a) or 1,3, 5-tris[(9-anthrylmethoxy)methyl]benzene (1b) with tris(2-maleimidoethyl)amine (2) in homogeneous solution leading to giant bis(bicyclic) and crypt-tris(bicyclic) molecules. The anticipated, intractable solids are obtained in a condensed state reaction using an oscillating mill.     

A novel approach to bicyclic fused cyclopentenone derivatives

A new four-step reaction sequence leading to bicyclic fused cyclopentenone derivatives starting from cyclic ketones has been developed.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed tandem ring closing metathesis (RCM) – atom transfer radical cyclization (ATRC) sequences

α-ω-Dienes bearing a pendant trichloroacetoxy group undergo a tandem RCM – radical cycloisomerization sequence leading to bicyclic γ-butyrolactones, with both steps of the sequence being catalyzed by ruthenium.     

Introduction of vinyl and hydroxymethyl functionalities at C-4 of glucose-derived substrates: synthesis of spirocyclic, bicyclic, and tricyclic nucleosides

Installing hydroxymethyl and hydroxyethyl substitutions at C-4 through vinylation and hydroboration-oxidation reactions of the C-4 bis-hydroxymethyl derivative of d-glucose based substrate, and inserting heteroatoms thereafter permitted formation of N-, O-, or S-heterocycles leading to [4,5]- or [5,5]-spirocycles and a bicyclo[3.3.0]octane product. Some of the spirocycles were converted to spironucleosides under Vorbruggen glycosidation reaction conditions. Similarly, the bicyclic product was elaborated to the corresponding bicyclic nucleoside as well as an unexpected tricyclic nucleoside.     

The ‘unexpected’ epimerization on bicyclic thiazolidine γ-lactam scaffolds

Preliminary findings related to the base induced cyclization and spontaneous epimerization leading to stereochemically defined bicyclic thiazolidine γ-lactam systems are reported.     

A new methodology of intramolecular hetero Diels-Alder reaction with β-alkoxy-substituted conjugated nitroalkenes as heterodienes: stereoselective one-pot synthesis of trans-fused bicyclic γ-lactones

Tandem reaction of (E)-1-ethoxy-2-nitroethylene with δ,ε-unsaturated alcohols leading to stereoselective trans-fused bicyclic γ-lactones has been developed using a catalytic amount of a Lewis acid such as Yb(OTf)₃ and Ni(ClO₄)₂·6H₂O. This process involves the stereoselective tandem transetherification-intramolecular hetero Diels-Alder reaction leading to bicyclic nitronates, and sequential transformation of the nitronate moiety to a lactone functional group under similar reaction conditions in good yields.     

Model synthetic studies toward jiadifenin and majucin type seco-prezizaane natural products via a stereo- and enantioselective approach

A concise stereo- and enantioselective approach to seco-prezizaane sesquiterpenoids, leading to the acquisition of two bicyclic fragments, is delineated.     

Hydroboration of terpenes—VIII: Cyclic hydroboration of d-(+)-limonene. A stereoselective synthesis of d-(−)-(1R, 2R, 4R)-limonene-2,9-diol and d-(−)-(1R, 2R, 4R)-carvomenthol

d-(+)-Limonene can be converted into the corresponding bicyclic organoborinate intermediate, B-methoxy-4,8-dimethyl-2-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane, by cyclic hydroboration with borane in THF, followed by methanolysis, and distillation of the product. Alternatively, cyclic hydroboration of d-(+)-limonene with thexylborane provides the related bicyclic organoborane intermediate, B-thexyl-4,8-dimethyl-2-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane. Oxidation of the respective intermediates produces d-(?)-(1R, 2R, 4R)-limonene-2,9-diol. Protonation of the bicyclic thexyl intermediate, followed by oxidation, provides d-(?)-(1R, 2R, 4R)-carvomenthol. These results suggest that the cyclic hydroboration of dienes can provide a valuable means for controlling the exact site of hydroboration, leading to a stereoselective synthesis of alcohols.     

Bicyclic amino acid-carbohydrate-conjugates as conformationally restricted hydroxyethylamine (HEA) transition-state isosteres

This communication describes a general synthetic route to bicyclic amino acid-carbohydrate-conjugates, which would be useful as conformationally restricted hydroxyethylamine (HEA) transition-state isosteres. The synthesis was achieved in 12 steps starting from D-glucose. The striking features of this system are the bicyclic rigid core displaying an α-amino acid side chain and hydroxyethylamine moiety--both of which would be potentially important for receptor interactions, leading to various biomedical responses, as described in the literature. Crystal structure investigation suggested extensive intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions in this system, involving the backbone amide and hydroxyl groups.     

Conia-ene annulation of the α-cyano β-TMS-capped alkynyl cycloalkanone system and its synthetic application

Under catalysis with ZnI(2), an effective annulation process of ω-silylacetylenic α-cyano ketones, leading to the formation of various bicyclic frameworks characterized with a TMS-containing methylenecyclopentane ring, has been developed.     

A new method of synthesis of stereospecifically 7,7-difunctionalized bicyclo [2.2.1]Heptene derivatives

The cyclopropyl carbinol group of the adducts 7a and 7b undergoes anchimerically-assisted solvolytic ring opening, leading to a stabilized 7-norbornenyl cation which collapses, stereospecifically, to 7,7-difunctionalized bicyclic/2.2.1/heptene derivatives 8 and 9.     

Selective thioether macrocyclization of peptides having the N-terminal 2-chloroacetyl group and competing two or three cysteine residues in translation

The mode of thioether macrocyclization of peptides containing an N-terminal 2-chloroacetyl group and two or three competing cysteine residues at downstream positions has been extensively studied, leading to a strategy for designated formation of overlapping-bicyclic peptides or dumbbell-type bicyclic peptides.     

Unveiling the synthesis of spirocyclic,tricyclic, and bicyclic triazolooxazines from intramolecular [3 + 2] azide-alkyne cycloadditions with a molecular electron density theory perspective

Structural Chemistry - The intramolecular [3+2] cycloaddition (32CA) reactions of azido alkynes leading to spirocyclic, tricyclic, and bicyclic triazolooxazines has been studied within the...     

Unravelling the regio- and stereoselective synthesis of bicyclic N,O-nucleoside analogues within the molecular electron density theory perspective

Structural Chemistry - The [3?+?2] cycloaddition (32CA) reactions of 1-pyrroline-1-oxide with N-vinyl nucleobases leading to bicyclic N,O nucleoside analogues have been studied within...     

Bicyclic proline analogues as organocatalysts for stereoselective aldol reactions: an in silico DFT study

Density functional theory has been employed in investigating the efficiency of a series of bicyclic analogues of proline as stereoselective organocatalysts for the aldol reaction. Three classes of conformationally restricted proline analogues, as part of either a [2.2.1] or [2.1.1] bicyclic framework, have been studied. Transition states for the stereoselective C-C bond formation between enamines derived from [2.2.1] and [2.1.1] bicyclic amino acids and p-nitrobenzaldehyde, leading to enantiomeric products, have been identified. Analysis of the transition state geometries revealed that the structural rigidity of catalysts, improved transition state organization as well as other weak interactions influence the relative stabilities of diastereomeric transition states and help contribute to the overall stereoselectivity in the aldol reaction. These bicyclic catalysts are predicted to be substantially more effective in improving the enantiomeric excess than the widely used organocatalyst proline. Enantiomeric excesses in the range 82-95% are predicted for these bicyclic catalysts when a sterically unbiased substrate such as p-nitrobenzaldehyde is employed for the asymmetric aldol reaction. More interestingly, introduction of substituents, as simple as a methyl group, at the ortho position of the aryl aldehyde bring about an increase in the enantiomeric excess to values greater than 98%. The reasons behind the vital energy separation between diastereomeric transition states has been rationalized with the help of a number of weak interactions such as intramolecular hydrogen bonding and Coulombic interactions operating on the transition states. These predictions could have wider implications for the rational design of improved organocatalysts for stereoselective carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions.     

Radical cyclization of sugar-derived beta-(alkynyloxy)acrylates: synthesis of novel fused ethers

[formula: see text] Tributyltin radical mediated cyclization of carbohydrate-derived beta-(alkynyloxy)acrylates leading to highly functionalized cis- and trans-fused bicyclic ethers of various ring sizes is described. The efficacy of the radical cyclization is nicely illustrated in the iterative construction of a trans-fused tricyclic tetrahydropyran.     

Stabilization of even-electron ions by cyclization of substituents on 3N- and 4N-nitrogens in 4N-substituted cytosines

Electron impact mass spectra of 4N-substituted derivatives of cytosine are reported. The strong influence of 4N-substituents on the mode of mass fragmentation occurring upon electron impact ionization was proved. The presence of α-carbon in the 4N-substituent extends the possibilities of fragmentation via rearrangement leading to formation of even-electron bicyclic ions containing quaternary 3N-nitrogen. When β-carbon was present in the 4N-substituent, the decomposition based on elimination of alkenes was detected as well as the rearrangement leading to formation of bicyclic even-electron ions containing quaternary 3N- or 4N-nitrogen.     

Cobalt(I)-mediated [2 + 2 + 2] cyclization of allenediynes toward a diastereoselective approach to 11-aryl steroid skeletons

[reaction: see text] An 11-aryl steroid skeleton has been built in one step with a simultaneous introduction of the substituents at both C11 and C10 in 48% overall yield from a trans-allenediyne, whereas a formal Alder ene reaction leading to a bicyclic yne-trienic compound becomes the major process from the cis-allenediyne.