Rhodium-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,6-enynes with an intramolecular halogen shift: reaction scope and mechanism

The rhodium(I)-species-catalyzed cycloisomerization reaction of a wide spectrum of 1,6-enynes with an unusual intramolecular halogen shift was investigated. This Rh-catalyzed enyne cyclization reaction represents a new process for the synthesis of stereodefined alpha-halomethylene-gamma-butyrolactones, lactams, tetrahydrofurans, pyrrolidines, and cyclopentanes. Coordinatively unsaturated rhodium species ([Rh(COD)Cl](2) + dppb + AgSbF(6)) only catalyzes the reaction with enyne substrates bearing a Z-form double bond, while neutral rhodium species (RhCl(PPh(3))(3)) could catalyze enyne substrates bearing a Z- or E-form double bond to form the desired products and has a wider substrate scopes. The mechanism of the reaction was studied by the employment of control experiments with different enyne isomers, and a pi-allyl rhodium intermediate was suggested to explain the formation of the cyclic products with an intramolecular halogen shift.     

A tandem enyne/ring closing metathesis approach to the synthesis of novel angularly fused dioxa-triquinanes

Triquinanes and their oxygenated congeners, oxa- and dioxa-triquinanes, exhibit versatile biological activities in conjunction with synthetically challenging molecular architecture. Owing to these properties, several new strategies have been developed to accomplish the synthesis of these sesquiterpenes. Among the new strategies, cascade radical cyclization strategy has been broadly explored and well studied. Herein, we report our efforts in detail for the synthesis of dioxa-triquinanes using a domino enyne/RCM strategy as the key step. Carbohydrate based synthesis not only allows the use of inexpensive and optically pure starting materials, but also the furanose derivatives, which already possess one of the requisite dihydro-furan moieties in the desired dioxa-triquinane. The other two five-membered rings were constructed simultaneously by the cascade enyne/RCM reaction using the Grubbs' second-generation catalyst. During the course of our synthesis it was observed that the acetonide protection hinders the RCM reaction, after the initial enyne metathesis reaction. The reaction underwent smoothly under argon atmosphere, whilst use of ethylene atmosphere was found to hinder the formation of the tandem enyne/RCM product. The effect of substitution on the key reaction is described here.     

Reaction of nitriles of enyne acids with hydrazines. synthesis of cyano derivatives of 2-pyrazolines

The reaction of nitriles of enyne acids with hydrazine, alkylhydrazines, and phenylhydrazine gives 5-cyanomethyl-2-pyrazolines. The possible mechanism of the cyclization is examined.     

Coupling of Fischer carbene complexes with conjugated enediynes featuring radical traps: Novel structure and reactivity features of chromium complexed arene diradical species

The reaction of Fischer carbene complexes with conjugated enediynes that feature a pendant alkene group has been examined. The reaction proceeds through carbene–alkyne coupling to generate an enyne–ketene intermediate. This intermediate then undergoes Moore cyclization to generate a chromium complexed arene diradical, which then undergoes cyclization with the pendant alkene group. The radical cyclization prefers the 6-endo mode unless radical-stabilizing groups are present to favor the 5-exo mode. The intermediate diradical species were evaluated computationally in both the singlet and triplet configurations. Arene triplet diradicals feature minimal spin density at oxygen and delocalization to chromium. The 6-endo cyclization product was kinetically and thermodynamically favored.     

cis-chloropalladation of 1,6-enynes

A PdCl(2)-catalyzed cis-chloropalladation-cyclization reaction of various 1,6-enyne substrates was developed. This Pd-catalyzed enyne cyclization reaction represents a new route for the synthesis of stereodefined alpha-halomethylene-gamma-butyrolactones, lactams, tetrahydrofurans, and cyclopentanes. A mechanism involving a neighboring coordination group is proposed to explain the experiment results.     

Enantiocontrolled synthesis of (-)-9-epi-pentazocine and (-)-aphanorphine

We have developed novel asymmetric routes to (-)-9- epi-pentazocine and (-)-aphanorphine from a d-tyrosine derivative. The tricyclic frameworks of (-)-9- epi-pentazocine and (-)-aphanorphine were assembled stereoselectively via intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction of the corresponding bicyclic precursors, generated with titanium-promoted enyne cyclization and indium-initiated atom-transfer radical cyclization, respectively.     

Selective gold(I)-catalyzed formation of tetracyclic indolines: a single transition structure and bifurcations lead to multiple products

Several alkynylindoles undergo gold(I)-catalyzed cyclization reactions to form a single isomer in each case. Density functional theory shows why this reaction is favored over the many possible regio- and stereoisomeric reaction pathways. This transformation involves a two-step no-intermediate mechanism with surface bifurcations leading to two or three products. Such bifurcations could explain reactivity in many gold(I)-catalyzed enyne cyclization reactions.     

Rutheniun-catalyzed cycloisomerization of o-(ethynyl)phenylalkenes to diene derivatives via skeletal rearrangement

Treatment of a series of 2',2'-disubstituted (o-ethynyl)styrenes with TpRu(PPh(3))(CH(3)CN)(2)PF(6) (10 mol %) in benzene (80 degrees C, 12-18 h) efficiently gave 2-alkenyl-1H-indene derivatives. This catalytic reaction represents an atypical enyne cycloisomerization with skeletal rearrangement of starting enyne, where the C=C bond is completely cleaved and inserted by the terminal alkynyl carbon. The reaction mechanism was elucidated by a series of deuterium and (13)C labeling experiments, as well as by changing the substituents at the phenyl moieties. The mechanism is proposed to involve the following key steps: 5-endo-dig cyclization of ruthenium-vinylidene intermediate, a nonclassical ion formation, and the "methylenecyclopropane-trimethylenemethane" rearrangement.     

Function-oriented synthesis: studies aimed at the synthesis and mode of action of 1alpha-alkyldaphnane analogues

[reaction: see text] An efficient synthetic route to the ABC tricyclic core of 1alpha-alkyldaphnanes has been developed. The conformational bias imparted by the C6-C9 oxo-bridge of BC-ring system 12 was used to elaborate the ABC-ring system precursor including the introduction of the beta-C5 hydroxyl group. A completely diastereoselective palladium-catalyzed enyne cyclization was then employed to establish the A-ring with a C1 appendage.     

IMDA-radical cyclization approach to (+)-himbacine

[reaction: see text] A formal total synthesis of the selective muscarinic receptor antagonist himbacine is presented. Key C-C bond-forming steps include an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction, Stille coupling reactions, and a 6-exo-trig acyl radical cyclization to a conjugated enyne. An unexpected secondary alcohol to chloride conversion is witnessed during attempted thionocarbonate formation.     

A transient N-O-linked Pauson-Khand strategy for the synthesis of the deschloro carbocyclic core of the palau'amines and styloguanidines

A stereocontrolled route to the deschloro cyclopentyl core of the palau'amines and styloguanidines has been developed. This strategy makes use of the intramolecular Pauson-Khand cyclization of an enyne with a "transient N-O tether" to construct a five-membered carbocycle in a diastereoselective fashion. [reaction: see text]     

Efficient and general approach to eremophilanes using siloxyalkyne-alkene metathesis

An efficient skeletal reorganization of a terminal alkene armed with an appropriate siloxy alkyne fragment is a pivotal step in our novel and general strategy for the construction of a bicyclic core of eremophilanes with complete diastereocontrol and high synthetic efficiency. Our approach features three significant strategic elements. First, the enyne metathesis precursor is assembled via a highly endo-selective Diels-Alder reaction. Second, installation of the siloxy group at the alkyne terminus enables the regioselective assembly of the ensuing enone fragment via intramolecular enyne cyclization. Third, the common enone precursor offers the necessary flexibility of accessing several natural products of the eremophilane family.     

A Pauson-Khand approach to the hamigerans

An intramolecular Pauson-Khand reaction has been used in the construction of the tricyclic core common to the hamigeran terpenes. For effective cyclization, it was necessary to tether the olefin-containing moiety to the aromatic framework to reduce its conformation mobility; this was accomplished using a silylene protecting group. Efficient construction of the aryl enyne from a salicylic acid derivative was accomplished via ortho lithiation and Sonogashira cross-coupling chemistry.     

Cobalt(I)-mediated cycloisomerization of enynes: mechanistic insights

[CpCo(CO)2] catalyzes the cycloisomerization of 1,n-enynes to afford selectively five- and six-membered ring systems in high yields. The factors governing the cyclization have been explored and we have discovered that the reaction associates two different, but complementary, reactivities of the cobalt(I) complexes. By a judicious choice of the substitution of the enyne, it was also possible to isolate a cyclobutene that arises from a cobaltcyclopentene     

Synthetic study of (+)-anthramycin using ring-closing enyne metathesis and cross-metathesis

Synthesis of (+)-anthramycin was examined. A pyrrolobenzodiazepine skeleton could be synthesized by reductive cyclization of pyrrolidine derivative, which was obtained by enyne metathesis. The conjugated enamide ester part of (+)-anthramycin derivative was constructed by cross-metathesis.     

Cycloisomerization of enynes via rhodium vinylidene-mediated catalysis

A novel rhodium-catalyzed cycloisomerization has been developed which converts various acyclic enynes to their cyclic diene isomers with endoselectivity. Both [RhCl(COD)]2/P(4-FC6H4)3 and RhCl(PPh3)3 catalyst systems are effective in promoting the C-C bond-forming cyclization of enynes to furnish carbo- and heterocycles in good to excellent yield. Deuterium labeling studies suggest that the reaction proceeds through the formation of a rhodium vinylidene followed by subsequent [2 + 2] cycloaddition with the alkene and ring-opening of the resulting rhodacyclobutane. These mechanistic studies reevaluate a previously proposed reaction pathway and lead to the discovery of a new cycloisomerization reaction that involves migration of silyl and selenyl substituents at the alkyne of enyne substrates upon cyclization.     

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric cyclization/hydroboration of 1,6-enynes

[reaction: see text] Reaction of enyne 1 with catecholborane catalyzed by a 1:1 mixture of [Rh(COD)(2)](+)SbF(6)(-) and (S)-BINAP (5 mol %) followed by Pd-catalyzed arylation with p-IC(6)H(4)CF(3) gave benzylidenecyclopentane 5 in 65% yield with 88% ee. Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric cyclization/hydroboration followed either by Pd-catalyzed arylation or by oxidation was applied to the synthesis of a number of chiral, nonracemic carbocycles and heterocycles.     

Unexpected formation of (Z)-3-(halomethylene)isoindolinones from gem-dihalovinylbenzonitriles: efficient synthesis of enyne-containing isoindolinones

An efficient one-pot procedure for the regioselective synthesis of (Z)-3-(halomethylene)-isoindolin-1-ones was developed from easily accessible 2-(2,2-dihalovinyl)benzonitriles. From this key intermediate, a variety of isoindolinones containing an enyne moiety were synthesized in good to excellent yields via palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira reaction. The generated enyne-containing isoindolinones could be further manipulated by iodide induced cyclization reaction to afford a versatile synthetic intermediate 5H-pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoindolol-5-one in high yield and could be further elaborated.     

Insights into the Gold‐Catalyzed Propargyl Ester Rearrangement/Tandem Cyclization Sequence: Radical versus Gold Catalysis—Myers–Saito‐ versus Schmittel‐Type Cyclization

A detailed study of the gold‐catalyzed tandem 1,3‐carboxy migration/allene–enyne cycloisomerization was undertaken. It was found that after the initial allene formation the selectivity of the reaction is strongly influenced by the polarization of the remaining alkyne. Depending on the substitution pattern of the starting diynes, either a Schmittel‐ or a Myers–Saito‐type cyclization was triggered. The 6‐endo‐dig Myers–Saito‐type cyclization gave access to benzo[b]fluorenes, while the Schmittel pathway (5‐exo‐dig) delivered benzofulvenes as final products. In special cases a yet unknown pathway was opened by the ambiphilic nature of the allene moiety. In these cases completely different products were obtained by the nucleophilic attack of the alkyne moiety onto the allene that can also act as an electrophile. Mechanistic studies revealed that diradical pathways can be ruled out for this type of tandem cyclization reactions and it is shown that both steps of the reaction cascade are catalyzed by the gold complex.     

A Cyclization–Rearrangement Cascade for the Synthesis of Structurally Complex Chiral Gold(I)–Aminocarbene Complexes

A facile synthesis of chiral cyclic alkyl aminocarbene–gold(I) complexes from gold‐free 1,7‐enyne substrates was developed. The novel cyclization–rearrangement reaction sequence is triggered by the addition of (Me₂S)AuCl to different 1,7‐enynes and leads to structurally unique carbene–gold(I) complexes in high yields. These novel complexes are catalytically active and inhibit the proliferation of different human cancer cell lines.