Hetero Diels–Alder Reactions with a Dicationic Urea Azine Derived Azo Dienophile and Their Use for the Synthesis of an Electron-Rich Pentacene

Herein, the first hetero Diels–Alder (DA) reactions with a stable, dicationic urea azine derived azo dienophile, synthesized by two-electron oxidation of a neutral urea azine are reported. Several charged DA products were synthesized in good yield and fully characterized. The DA adduct of anthracene is in thermal equilibrium with the reactants at room temperature, and the reaction enthalpy and entropy were determined from the temperature-dependent equilibrium constant. Furthermore, base addition to solutions of the pentacene DA product led to deprotonation, cleavage of the N−N bond, and formation of an electron-rich 6,13-bisguanidinyl-substituted pentacene. The redox and optical properties of this new pentacene derivative were studied. Furthermore, the dication resulting from its two-electron oxidation was synthesized and fully characterized. The results disclose a new elegant route to electron-rich pentacene derivatives.     

CuI–Ionic Liquids as Efficient Reaction Media for the Synthesis of Pyran Skeleton via Domino Knoevenagel–Hetero–Diels–Alder Reaction with Unactivated Alkynes

The article describes ionic liquids [bmim][NO₃] in the presence of 30% mol CuI as efficient media for the domino Knoevenagel–hetero–Diels–Alder reaction of o-propargyloxy benzaldehydes as unactivated terminal alkynes with some active methylene compounds. Short reaction time, easy workup, good to excellent yields, and mild conditions are advantages of this new media.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® to view the free supplemental file.     

Synthesis of Chiral Bis-Thiazolines and Asymmetric Diels–Alder Reactions

Abstract

New chiral ligands, bis-thiazoline derivatives (sulfur analogues of known oxazolines) were prepared from chiral bis-(N-acylamino alcohols) with Lawesson's reagent. Bis-thiazolines thus obtained proved to be useful chiral ligands for metal in asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction.     

Inverse Electron Demand Hetero Diels–Alder Reactions of Solid Supported α-Acilthiones

Abstract

A solid supported dienic α,α′-dioxothione, obtained from the corresponding resin-linked β-chetoester, is able to react with vinyl ethers to give chemo- and regiospecifically the expected oxathiin cycloadducts. Trans-esterification allowed a quantitative and very clean cleavage of the products from the solid support.     

Synthesis of isoindolinones via inverse-electron demand Diels–Alder cycloadditions

A new synthetic method has been developed for the synthesis of 2,4,5-substituted isoindolinones by means of intramolecular inverse-electron demand Diels–Alder cycloaddition reactions of substituted pyridazines. By taking advantage of the inherent reactivity of an intermediate chloropyridazine, a diverse set of analogues were prepared from common reagents and intermediates.     

Multicomponent and Metal-Free Diels–Alder/Aromatization Approach to the Stereospecific Synthesis of E-(Hetero)Stilbenes and Diarylacetylenes

Herein, we present a novel and metal-free approach to the stereospecific synthesis of E-stilbenes. Starting from substituted 6-arylhexa-3,5-dien-2-ones, a multicomponent enolacetylation/intermolecular Diels–Alder reaction was performed using ethyl acetate as a green solvent. The obtained cycloadducts were then oxidized without purification to produce the stilbenic products in good yields up to 67 % and with complete (E)-stereospecificity and regioselectivity. Moreover, heterostilbenes were synthetized using this approach, displaying the potential applications of this protocol in pharmaceutical and material sciences. The proposed methodology was further extended to the synthesis of diarylacetylenes, furnishing a new metal-free synthetic access to this important class of compounds. Furthermore, DFT calculations were performed confirming a concerted [4+2] reaction mechanism of the key ring-forming step. At last, the energetic analysis of the possible transition states helps to shed some light on the experimentally observed total regio- and chemoselectivity.     

Diels–Alder Reactions During the Biosynthesis of Sorbicillinoids

The sorbicillinoids are a class of biologically active and structurally diverse fungal polyketides arising from sorbicillin. Through co-expression of sorA, sorB, sorC, and sorD from Trichoderma reesei QM6a, the biosynthetic pathway to epoxysorbicillinol and dimeric sorbicillinoids, which resemble Diels–Alder-like and Michael-addition-like products, was reconstituted in Aspergillus oryzae NSAR1. Expression and feeding experiments demonstrated the crucial requirement of the flavin-dependent monooxygenase SorD for the formation of dimeric sorbicillinoids, hybrid sorbicillinoids, and epoxysorbicillinol in vivo. In contrast to prior reports, SorD catalyses neither the oxidation of 2′,3′-dihydrosorbicillin to sorbicillin nor the oxidation of sorbicillinol to oxosorbicillinol. This is the first report that both the intermolecular Diels–Alder and Michael dimerization reactions, as well as the epoxidation of sorbicillinol are catalysed in vivo by SorD.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of cis-Decalin Derivatives by the Inverse-Electron-Demand Diels–Alder Reaction of 2-Pyrones

A novel strategy for the synthesis of cis-decalins by an ytterbium-catalyzed asymmetric inverse-electron-demand Diels–Alder reaction of 2-pyrones and silyl cyclohexadienol ethers is reported here. A broad range of synthetically important cis-decalin derivatives with multiple contiguous stereogenic centers and functionalities are obtained in good yields and stereoselectivities. A full set of diastereomeric substituted cis-decalin motifs are readily accessible by tuning the absolute configurations of substituted silyl cyclohexadienol ethers (R or S) as well as the ligands (R or S). The synthetic potential is showcased by the enantioselective total synthesis of 4-amorphen-11-ol, and further demonstrated by the first total synthesis of cis-crotonin.     

Synthesis of natural product inulavosin via Ga(OTf)3-Catalyzed Hetero Diels–Alder Dimerization of salicyl alcohol derivative

Inulavosin, a natural melanogenesis inhibitor, has been synthesized smoothly from readily available and inexpensive starting materials by using a Ga(OTf)₃-catalyzed room temperature hetero Diels–Alder dimerization of salicyl alcohol derivative and a regioselective phenol monobromination as the key steps.     

Intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction for the synthesis of tetracyclic carbazoles and isocanthines

One pot intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction has been efficiently used as a new route for the synthesis of four tetracyclic carbazoles and four isocanthine analogues where a dialdehyde is utilised as a common intermediate for both the scaffolds. Biological activity was evaluated for some molecules, which demonstrated moderate activity against HeLa cervical cancer cell lines.     

Synthesis of tetrahydroanthracen-9-ones by the domino aldol condensation/Diels–Alder cycloaddition

A facile protocol toward several substituted 3-aryl-3,4,4a,10-tetrahydro-2H-anthracen-9-ones 1 starting with substituted 2-allylbenzaldehydes 2 was described. The overall synthetic process was carried out by the domino aldol condensation/Diels–Alder cycloaddition of skeleton 2 with substituted cinnamaldehydes 3 in an alkalic aqueous-methanolic solution followed by base-induced double migration of the resulting cycloadducts. Skeleton 2 was prepared from isovanillin (4) in moderate yield in five-steps via the known procedures with the synthetic sequence of O-allylation, Claisen rearrangement, O-methylation, Grignard methylation, and PCC-mediated oxidation.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of cis-Decalins by Merging the Birch Reduction and Inverse-Electron-Demand Diels–Alder Reaction

Herein, we show that the combination of the Birch reduction of readily available anisole derivatives and the catalytic asymmetric inverse-electron-demand Diels–Alder reaction of 2-pyrones can serve as a powerful platform for the diverse synthesis of synthetically important cis-decalin scaffolds. Enabled by a well-modified chiral bis(oxazoline) ligand/Cu^II complex, a wide range of polysubstituted cis-decalin scaffolds with up to six contiguous stereocenters were generated efficiently. The synthetic potential of this method is demonstrated by the concise synthesis of the sesquiterpene (+)-occidentalol and a key intermediate for seven triterpenes. Mechanistic studies suggest the 1,3-cyclohexadienes formed in situ are the key intermediates, and efficient kinetic resolution occurs when C2- and/or C3-substituted 1,4-cyclohexadienes are utilized as substrates. DFT calculations elucidated that the Diels–Alder reaction proceeds in a stepwise fashion and revealed the origins of the stereoselectivities.     

One-pot enyne ring-closing metathesis–Diels–Alder reactions for the synthesis of polycyclic sulfamides

Ring-closing metathesis (RCM) and sequential Yb(OTf)₃ promoted Diels–Alder reactions of sulfamide-linked enynes proceeded selectively in one-pot to afford a series of bicyclic and tricyclic sulfamides. Excellent levels of diastereoselectivity are observed for the cycloaddition step, with only the endo-adducts being isolated. The protocol was further extended to incorporate a one-pot RCM–cross metathesis (CM)–Diels–Alder sequence, permitting rapid access to high levels of molecular complexity from simple and easily accessible precursors.     

Green chemistry for the synthesis of methacrylate-based hydrogels crosslinked through Diels–Alder reaction

This study describes an environmentally friendly and green synthetic approach for the preparation of poly(aminoethylmethacrylate)-based hydrogels crosslinked through Diels–Alder (DA) reaction in water. This “click” reaction offers the possibility of preparing chemically crosslinked hydrogels in the absence of any catalyst, initiator or coupling agent, thus preserving the biocompatibility of the material. The suitable furan diene was obtained by modifying a methacrylate polymer by its reaction with furfural, a first generation compound derived from renewable resources. Methacrylate-based complementary polymeric dienophiles were also prepared by introducing maleimide groups into the structure. The products obtained at different steps were characterized by FTIR, NMR and TGA techniques. The study of the rheological properties of the hydrogels proved the success of this green “click” synthetic strategy confirming the formation of chemically crosslinked networks by the use of the Diels–Alder reaction. Furthermore, SEM studies revealed promising morphological properties of the ensuing hydrogels in terms of biomedical applications.     

Self-Accelerating Diels–Alder Reaction for Preparing Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity

It is a formidable challenge in polycondensation to simultaneously construct multiple covalent bonds to prepare double-stranded polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) with fused multicyclic linkages. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to develop a self-accelerating Diels–Alder reaction for successfully preparing double-stranded PIMs with fused multicyclic backbone structures. A self-accelerating Diels–Alder reaction was developed based on the [4+2] cycloaddition of sym-dibenzo-1,5-cyclooctadiene-3,7-diyne (DIBOD) and ortho-quinone compounds. In this reaction, the cycloaddition of ortho-quinone with the first alkyne of DIBOD activates the second alkyne, which reacts with ortho-quinone at a rate constant 192 times larger than that of the original alkyne. Using this self-accelerating reaction to polymerize DIBOD and spirocyclic/cyclic difunctional ortho-quinone monomers, a novel stoichiometric imbalance-promoted step-growth polymerization method was developed to prepare PIMs. The resultant PIMs possess intrinsic ultramicropores with pore sizes between 0.45 to 0.7 nm, high specific surface areas above 646 m² g⁻¹, and good H₂ separation performance.     

Cycloaddition of keteniminium with terminal alkynes toward cyclobuteniminium and their use in Diels–Alder reactions

An efficient access to cyclobutanone derivatives has been developed via a ‘one-pot’ [2+2]/[4+2] sequence involving keteniminium and cyclobuteniminium salts as key intermediates. A broad range of novel cyclobuteniminium salts have been prepared via [2+2] cycloaddition of keteniminium salts and alkynes. The resulting [2+2] adducts were then further transformed by Diels–Alder reaction with various dienes to afford cyclobutanone derivatives in good yields. A density functional theory (DFT) based computational study has been performed to obtain insight into the nature of the cycloaddition reactions and to investigate the difference in reactivity of cyclobuteniminium salts. Finally, the usefulness of cyclobutanone derivatives has been demonstrated by ring expansion reactions affording lactone, lactame, and cyclopentanone derivatives.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of Novel Diels–Alder Adducts of p-Substituted Methyl Thiocinnamates and Cyclopentadiene

This article describes the Diels–Alder reaction between methyl thiocinnamates, substituted at the para position by electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups, with cyclopentadiene in the presence of catechol boron bromide (CBB) as a Lewis acid catalyst. The adduct configuration was confirmed by ¹H NMR coupling constants and single-crystal x-ray diffraction. Total endo stereoselectivity was observed in all reactions and was attributed to the effective secondary interaction between the boron atom and the incipient double bond in the norbonene resulting from the planar geometry of the catalyst. ¹³C NMR chemical shifts of the coordinated dienophile carbonyl carbons with CBB compared to those of the non coordinated thiocinammates suggest a strong complexation with the catalyst.     

Aluminosilicate Catalysis of Chalcone Diels–Alder Reactions

Previously unreported Diels–Alder adducts of substituted chalcones with isoprene and myrcene have been formed at more than 0°C by employing a nanoporous aluminosilicate catalyst. This catalyst eliminates problems with diene polymerization that are encountered with many other Lewis acids. The chalcone component has some size restrictions.     

Diels–Alder Reactions of β-Acylacrylic Acids

The Diels–Alder reaction of β-acylacrylic acids with dienes gave good yields and good regio- or stereoselectivity of the corresponding cycloaddition products with the use of Lewis acids.