Synthesis and photolysis of doxyl derivatives of 5β-androstan-3-ones

In an unsuccessful attempt to effect remote functionalization at C9, 4,4-dimethyloxazolidine-N-oxyl (doxyl) derivatives at C3 of 5β-androstan-3,17-dione and 5β-androstan-17β-ol-3-one were prepared and photolyzed. The former doxyl yielded its C13 stereoisomer; the latter was converted very slowly to intractable material.     

Photochemical reactivity of α,β-unsaturated δ-lactams: Synthesis of seco-steroids. Photochemical reactions. XIII [1]

The UV. irradiation of 17 β-hydroxy-2-aza-4-androsten-3-one (1) , N-methyl-17 β-hydroxy-2-aza-4-androsten-3-one (3) , 17 β-hydroxy-4-aza-5 β-androst-1-en-3-one (2) and N-methyl-17 β-hydroxy-4-aza-5 β-androst-1-en-3-one (4) , gives rise to 1,10-seco (from 1 and 3 ) and 5, 10-seco (from 2 and 4 ) steroids.     

A Mild Isomerization Reaction for β,γ‐Unsaturated Ketone to α,β‐Unsaturated Ketone

A series of β,γ‐unsaturated ketones were isomerized to their corresponding α,β‐unsaturated ketones by the introduction of DABCO in iPrOH at room temperature. The endo‐cyclic double bond (β,γ‐position) on ketone was rearranged to exo‐cyclic double bond (α,β‐position) under the reaction conditions.     

Lipophilic Functionalized Cobyrinic-Acid Derivatives. Part 1. Cobester α-monoacids (α,α,α,β,β,β-hexamethyl α-hydrogen Coα, Coβ-dicyanocobyrinates)

The four α,α,α, β,β,β,-hexamethyl α-hydrogen Coα, Coβ-dicyanocobyrinates 2b, d–f , with a free b-, d-, e-, and f-propionic-acid function, respectively, were prepared by partial hydrolysis of heptamethyl Coα, Coβ-dicyanocobyrinate (cobester; 1 ) in aqueous sulfuric acid. The cobester monoacids 2b, d–f were obtained as a ca. 1:1:1:1 mixture which was separated. The monoacids were purified by chromatography and isolated in crystalline form. The position of the free propionic-acid function was determined by an extensive analysis of 2b, d–f using 2D-NMR techniques; an analysis of the C,H-coupling network topology resulted in an alternative assignment strategy for cobyrinic-acid derivatives, based on pattern recognition. Additional information on the structure of the most polar of the four hexamethyl cobyrinates, of the b-isomer 2b , was also obtained in the solid state from a single-crystal X-ray analysis. Earlier structural assignments based on 1D-NMR spectra of the corresponding regioisomeric monoamides 3b, d–f (obtained from crystalline samples of the monoacids 2b, d–f ) were confirmed by the present investigations.     

The Clemmensen Reduction of α, β-Unsaturated Ketones

Eleven structurally different α, β-unsaturated ketones were subjected to the Clemmensen reduction under anhydrous conditions using amalgamated zinc, hydrogen chloride in a solution of ethyl ether, and acetic anhydride. In all cases but one the formation of cyclopropyl acetates was observed. 4-Methyl-3-penten-2-one, methyl vinyl ketone, 2-isopropylidene-1-cyclopentanone, and 2-cyclohepten-1-one led to substituted cyclopropyl acetates. Stereospecific reactions were found with 2-ethylidene-1-cyclopentanone, 2-benzylidene-1-cyclohexanone, and methyl 1-cyclohexenyl ketone, whereas 3-penten-2-one, 3-methyl-3-buten-2-one, and 2-methyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one afforded mixtures of the isomeric cyclopropyl acetates. These results are interpreted in terms of the intital formation of an allylic anion which undergoes electrocyclic closure. A stereospecific course is followed when geometric constraints permitted. Exceptions are discussed.     

Studies in organic mass spectrometry-XIII: Investigation of electron-induced isomerisation of αβ- and βγ-unsaturated esters

The mass spectral fragmentation of methyl esters of α,β- and β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids has been studied. Deuterium labelling, metastable ion analysis and high resolution mass spectrometry have been utilised to elucidate the mechanism of a number of fragmentations and to check possible double bond migration prior to fragmentation. Some breakdown modes were found to occur through double bond migration. Additional support was provided by application of the ‘Metastable Ion Characteristics’ method. Partial isomerisation of molecular ions must therefore be accepted.     

Reaction of Cα,O-dilithiooximes with functionalized carbonyl compounds. Part 2 . Reaction with α-chloroketones and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones

The reaction of Cα,O-Dilithiooximes 2 and α-chloroketones afforded 5-(hydroxymethyl)-Δ²-soxazolines 4 . α,β-Unsaturated aldehydes and ketones reacted with 2 to give the corresponding acyclic 1,2-addition products 5 . The latter were cyclized with phosphorus pentoxide to 5-vinyl-Δ²-isoxazolines 6 .     

The photochemistry of α,β-acetylenic ketones. II. Formation of furan derivatives

The photochemical reactions of α,β-acetylenic ketones have been examined. Irradiation of 1-p-substituted phenyl-2-propyn-1-ones 2–4 in primary alcohols gave 2,5-disubstituted furans 2a–4c. The formation of furans can be explained in terms of cyclization, followed by dehydration of the 1:1-adduct of acetylenic ketone and alcohol, which was formed initially by hydrogen atom abstraction from alcohol by the excited acetylenic ketone. Irradiation of 1-p-tolyl-2-propyn-1-one ( 2 ) in ethanol-d₁ yielded 2-methyl-5-p-tolylfuran ( 2b ) containing no deuterium. This result was consistent with a mechanism that involves hydrogen atom abstraction from alcohol by the carbon of triple bond rather than abstraction by carbonyl oxygen.     

β-lithiations of carboxamides. Synthesis of β-substituted-α,β-unsaturated amides

N-Methyl-2-methyl-3-(benzotriazol-l-yl)propanamide, on treatment with butyllithium forms a dianion which on treatment with alkyl and benzyl halides, aldehydes and ketones affords monosubstituted products; with ethyl p-toluate, a lactam is formed. The alkylated derivatives eliminate benzotriazole in the presence of base to afford trisubstituted α,β-unsaturated amides.     

Mass spectra of some acyclic α,β-unsaturated aldehydes,ketones and esters

The mass spectra of a series of aliphatic acyclic α,β-unsturated aldehydes, ketones and ester have been examined. The spectra do not show evidence for McLafferty rearrangements, alkoxyl migration or for fragmentations which are dependent upon the s-trans or s-cis conformations of the compounds. There is some evidence for cis-trans isomerism about the double bond.     

Synthesis of new heterocyclic ring systems. Reaction of indolines and hexahydrocarbazole with α,β-unsaturated acids

Reactions of indoline (I), 2-methylindoline (II) and hexahydrocarbazole (III) with α,β-unsaturated acids in the presence of polyphosphoric acid have been investigated. Reaction of 1 with acrylic acid afforded two compounds which were identified as 1,2,4,5-tetrahydro-6H-pyrrolo-[3,2,1-ij] quinolin-6-one (IV) and 2,3,5,6,9,10-hcxahydro-1H-cyclopenta[f lpyrrolo [3,2,1-ij|-quinoline-1,8-dione (VII). The reaction oi 1 with crotonic acid gave compounds V and VIII, analogous-to IV and VII. The reaction of II with acrylic acid yielded two compounds VI and IX, whereas with crotonic acid, only X was isolated. With 111, acrylic acid afforded 5,6,8,9,10. 11,8a,11a-octahydro-4H-pyrido[3,2,1-jk]carbazol-4-one (XI) and a compound with a heretofore unknown ring system, viz., 2,3,5,6,7,8,11,12,5a,8a-decahydro-1H-cyclopenta[h] pyrido [3,2,1-jk |earbazole-1,10-dione. The structures of these compounds were deduced on the basis of their spectral and analytical data.     

Transformations of isomeric naphthopyranones. The synthesis of substituted β-naphthyl-α,β-dehydro-α-amino acid derivatives

The opening of the pyranone ring in 2H-naphtho[1,2-b]pyran-2-one derivative (1) and 3H-naphtho[2,1-b]-pyran-3-one derivatives 8 and 20 with nucleophiles afforded 3-(naphthyl-1)- and 3-(naphthyl-2)propenoates (substituted β-naphthyl-α,β-dehydro-α-amino acid derivatives) 7, 13, 14, 15, 24 , and 35 .     

Carbon-13 chemical shifts of α,β-unsaturated acids

Carbon-13 spectra of 59 α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids have been measured. Large differential shieldings of ethylenic carbons in the cis and trans isomers of acrylic acid derivatives were found (altogether 15 isomeric Z- and E-pairs of acids were investigated). The origin of differential shieldings is complex and both molecular ground states as well as changes in excited states appear to be involved. All measured ¹³C chemical shifts can be described by additive parameters that provide a straightforward new technique by which structural assignments can be made for a wide variety of isomeric mono-, di- and tri- substituted α,β-unsaturated acids.     

Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of O3 with a series of cycloalkenes and α,β-unsaturated ketones at 296 ± 2 K

The kinetics of the gas-phase reactions of O₃ with a series of alkenes and two α,β-unsaturated ketones have been investigated at atmospheric pressure (ca. 740 torr) of air and 296 ± 2 K, using a relative rate method in the presence of sufficient cyclohexane to scavenge OH radicals generated in these reactions. Combined with our previous relative rate measurements (Int. J. Chem. Kinet., 24, 803 (1992)), the rate constants obtained relative to k(O₃ + propene) = 1.00 were: 3-penten-2-one, 3.62 ± 0.16; 2-cyclohexen-1-one, <0.19; bicyclo[2.2.2]-2-octene, 7.44 ± 0.48; 1,3-cycloheptadiene, 16.1 ± 1.1; cycloheptene, 23.7 ± 1.6; 1,3-cyclohexadiene, 134 ± 13; bicyclo[2.2.1]-2-heptene, 170 ± 16; and bicyclo[2.2.1]-2,5-heptadiene, 390 ± 36. The resulting rate constants then lead to a self-consistent set of room temperature data for the reactions of O₃ with these alkenes and α,β-unsaturated ketones. These rate constants are compared with the literature data, and the effects of ring size discussed. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The clemmensen reduction of α,β-unsaturated ketones

The deoxygenation of the α,β-unsaturated ketones (1) and (5) under the Clemmensen condition yielded the olefins (2) and (6) along with their respective dimers (3+4) and (8+9). The α , β-unsaturated ketone (13) under similar treatment yielded the olefin (14) in satisfactory yield but the dimer could not be characterized. The deoxygenation of the α,β-unsaturated ketones (10) and (16) under similar con- ditions afforded the olefins (12) and (15) respectively in satisfactory yield along with the rearranged olefins (11) and (17) respectively. Epox-idation of the olefin (17) followed by heating with p-toluenesulfonic acid yielded the ketone (18).     

Photochemische Reaktionen. 78. Mitteilung. Anwendung der π → π*-induzierten Cyclisierung von α,β-ungesättigten γ-Dimethoxymethylketonen auf 19-Methoxy- bzw. 19-Dimethoxy-Steroid-enone und -dienone

Irradiation at 254 nm of 19-dimethoxyandrost-4-en-17 β-ol-3-one acetate ( 8 ) afforded the epimeric cyclization products 9 (yield 20%) and 10 (4%). Similar transformations were also achieved with the analogous dimethoxy-enone 24 (→ 25 , 65%), and-dienone 30 (→ 31 , 72%), and with the methoxy-enone 33 (→ 34 , 30%), and-dienone 35 (→ 36 , 17%).     

On the mechanism of isomerization in the esters of some α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids—II

The effect of a phenyl group on the mechanisms of isomerization in the ionized methyl esters of simple α,β-unsaturated acids (methyl acrylate and related compounds) has been investigated with the aid of deuterium labelling as well as information from mass analysed ion kinetic energy spectra and first field free region metastable peak shapes. Substitution of a hydrogen atom of the O? CH₃ group by a phenyl group (benzyl acrylate and homologues) greatly enhances the rate of [ester] → [acid] isomerizations (loss of H₂O and COOH˙). It is inferred that this is due to an accelerating effect of the phenyl group on the first and the third steps (ring opening of the key intermediate ion which has the structure of the ionized enol form of γ-butyrolactone) of the reaction whose mechanism is basically the same as that in methyl acrylate. A phenyl group present at the α- or β-position of the vinylic double bond appears to suppress the [ester] → [acid] isomerization in some compounds by promoting other reactions or opening up a new reaction pathway, i.e. the loss of CH₂O from ionized methyl atropate for which mechanisms are proposed.     

Computational insight into asymmetric uranyl‐salophen coordinated with α, β‐unsaturated aldehydes and ketones

The study of the catalytic activity and activation mechanism of asymmetric uranyl‐salophens with α, β‐unsaturated aldehydes or α, β‐unsaturated ketones, is a research hotspot. In this paper, the complexes of the uranyl–salophen(U‐S) modified by unilateral benzene, coordinated with cyclohexenone, cyclopentenone and acrolein, were investigated using density functional theory calculations at the level of B3LYP/6‐311G(d, p) basis set. The results showed that the uranyl‐salophen(U‐S) weakened the large π bond between C = C and C = O of the α, β‐unsaturated aldehydes and ketones, making the unsaturated aldehydes and ketones activated. In addition, the molecular‐recognition selectivity of the asymmetrical uranyl‐salophen for cyclohexenone and cyclopentenone were much higher than for acrolein.     

A novel ring contraction: 3β-methyl-A-nor-5β-cholestan-5-ol-6-one from 3β-tosyloxy-5α-cholestane-5,6β-diol through an ene reaction of an unsaturated acyloin

A by-product of the reaction of 3β-tosyloxy-5α-cholestane-5,6β-diol with , 3β-methyl-A-nor-5β-cholestan-5-ol-6-one, is believed to arise from the intramolecular ene reaction of 4,5-seco-cholest-3-en-6β-ol-5-one.     

Nickel(0)‐Catalyzed Enantioselective [3+2] Annulation of Cyclopropenones and α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones/Imines

Ni⁰‐catalyzed chemo‐ and enantioselective [3+2] cycloaddition of cyclopropenones and α,β‐unsaturated ketones/imines is described. This reaction integrates C?C bond cleavage of cyclopropenones and enantioselective functionalization by carbonyl/imine group, offering a mild approach to γ‐alkenyl butenolides and lactams in excellent enantioselectivity (88–98 % ee) through intermolecular C?C activation.