Formation of tricyclo[6.3.0.02,5]undecane derivatives during attempts to make the rumphellatin A–C oxacarbon skeleton

The results of several approaches to make the 4,4,8-trimethyl-12-oxatricyclo[7.2.1.0^2,5]dodecane motif present in rumphellatins A–C are reported. The strategy adopted involved (9E)-12,12-dimethyl-5-oxatricyclo[8.2.0.0^4,6]dodec-9-en-11-ol as an intermediate, but when attempts were made to connect the third methyl group to the carbon skeleton by reacting the epoxide with MeLi under boron-trifluoride catalysis, an unprecedented transannular reaction occurred. The desired product was not formed; instead, compounds containing a tricyclo[6.3.0.0^2,5]undecane moiety were obtained, in one case in better than 70% yield.     

Synthesis of thiazolidin-4-ones via [3+2] cycloaddition of in situ generated aza-oxyallylic cations with isothiocyanates

A highly efficient one-pot synthesis of thiazolidin-4-ones via [3+2] cycloaddition of aza-oxyallylic cations with isothiocyanates is developed. The aza-oxyallyic cations were generated in situ in the present of a base. This cycloaddition reaction allows the rapid access to a variety of thiazolidin-4-one derivatives in mild conditions, good yield, and excellent functional group compatibility.     

Rhodium(I)/cationic 2,2′-bipyridyl-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition of α,ω-diynes with alkynes in water under air

A simply performed procedure for the [Rh(cod)Cl]₂/cationic 2,2′-bipyridyl system-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition of α,ω-diynes with terminal and internal alkynes was achieved in water under air at 60 °C. The reaction proceeded smoothly with 1 equiv α,ω-diynes and 3 equiv alkynes in the presence of 20 mol % KOH for 1 h or 9 h, resulting in the formation of tri- and tetra-substituted benzene derivatives in moderate to high yields. After separation of the organic products by extraction, the residual aqueous solution could be reused for further reactions until complete degradation of its catalytic activity.     

Synthesis of a Tricyclic Core of Rameswaralide

A tricyclic core containing a 5,7-fused bicyclic unit of rameswaralide was prepared starting from a 1,6-enyne. The synthetic sequence involved (i) ruthenium-catalyzed [5+2]-cycloaddition of 1,6-enyne, (ii) an acyl radical based approach to construct the lactone, and (iii) a regioselective installation of the conjugated double bond by a concomitant sulfenylation-dehydrosulfenylation sequence.     

Palladium-catalyzed alkynylselenation of acetylenedicarboxylates leading to enyne selenides and application to synthesis of multisubstituted aryl selenides

Upon treatment of a mixture of alkynyl selenides and acetylenedicarboxylates with Pd(OAc)₂/P(o-tol)₃/K₂CO₃/H₂O-catalytic system, the alkynylselenation of acetylenedicarboxylates takes place to give the corresponding alkynylvinyl selenides. Furthermore, alkynyl selenides undergo the intermolecular [2+2+2] cycloaddition reaction in the presence of PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂ as a catalyst, affording the corresponding multisubstituted aryl selenides selectively.     

Kristallstrukturen der iso‐Thiocyanatoberyllate (Ph4P)2[Be(NCS)4] und (Ph4P)4[{Be2(NCS)4(μ‐NCS)2}{Be2(NCS)6(μ‐H2N2C2S2)}]

Bis(tetraphenylphosphonium) hexachloridodiberyllate, (Ph₄P)₂[Be₂Cl₆], reacts with excess trimethylsilyl‐iso‐thiocyanate to give a mixture of colourless single crystals of (Ph₄P)₂[Be(NCS)₄] ( 1 ) and (Ph₄P)₄[{Be₂(NCS)₄(μ‐NCS)₂}{Be₂(NCS)₆(μ‐H₂N₂C₂S₂)}] ( 2 ), which can be separated by selection. Both complexes were characterized by X‐ray diffraction. Compound 1 can be prepared without by‐products by treatment of (Ph₄P)₂[BeCl₄] with excess Me₃SiNCS in dichloromethane solution. 1 : Space group I4₁/a, Z = 4, lattice dimensions at 100(2) K: a = b = 1091.2(1), c = 3937.1(3) pm, R₁ = 0.0474. The [Be(NCS)₄]^2– ion of 1 forms tetragonally distorted tetrahedral anions with Be–N distances of 168.4(2) pm and weak intermolecular S ··· S contacts along [100] and [010]. 2 ·4CH₂Cl₂: Space group P , Z = 1, lattice dimensions at 100(2) K: a = 919.5(1), b = 1248.3(1), c = 2707.0(2) pm, α = 101.61(1) °, β = 95.08(1) °, γ = 94.52(1) °, R₁ = 0.103. Compound 2 contains two different anionic complexes in the ratio 1:1. In {Be₂(NCS)₄(μ‐NCS)₂}^2–, the beryllium atoms are connected by (NCS)^– bridging groups forming centrosymmetric eight‐membered Be₂(NCS)₂ rings with distances Be–N of 168(1) pm and Be–S of 235.2(9) pm. The second anion {Be₂(NCS)₆(μ‐H₂N₂C₂S₂)}^2– consists of two {Be(NCS)₃}^– units, which are linked by the nitrogen atoms of the unique dimeric cyclo‐addition product of HNCS with Be–N distances of 179(1) pm.     

Towards peptide-substituted titanocene anticancer drugs

An alkyne-substituted fulvene was transformed via hydridolithiation followed by transmetallation with titanium tetrachloride into bis-[p-(prop-2-ynyloxy)-benzyl-cyclopentadienyl] titanium(IV) dichloride. Single crystals of this titanocene derivative could be obtained and the structure determined by X-ray diffraction. It showed that this compound crystallises in the space group C2/c with four molecules in the monoclinic cell. The alkyne-substituted titanocene dichloride derivative was then subject to a copper-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition with its azide-functionalised methylester-protected phenylalanine reaction partner in order to form a linking triazole. This reaction was performed under anhydrous conditions employing a dichloromethane/acetonitrile solvent mixture with copper(I) iodide and 2,6-lutidine as the catalyst system. Under these conditions the adduct between the protein mimic and the titanocene was formed without hydrolysing the titanium dichloride moiety.     

N-Iodosaccharin (NISac): a new reusable catalyst for formal [2+4] cycloaddition of imines and enones

The first example of N-iodosaccharin (NISac)-catalyzed step, pot and atom economic synthesis of 1,3-oxazines via formal [2+4] cycloaddition of imines and enones has been reported. No by-product formation, operational simplicity, ambient temperature and high yields (85-95%) are the salient features of the present synthetic protocol. After isolation of the product, the catalyst NISac can be easily recovered and reused without any loss of efficiency.     

Cation radical induced cycloaddition reaction between aryl imines and ethyl diazoacetate

The reaction of ethyl diazoacetate with aryl imines can be initiated by persistent cation radical salt tris(4-bromophenyl)aminium hexachloroantimonate, giving exclusively cis-aziridine carboxylates.