Synthesis and chemical transformations of 2-cyclopropyl-2-diazoacetates

Methyl 2-cyclopropyl-2-diazoacetate was synthesized from acetylcyclopropane in few chemical steps in ∼55% total yield. Its copper or rhodium-catalyzed dediazoniation exclusively proceeds through the intramolecular isomerization of generated cyclopropyl(methoxycarbonyl)carbene to 1-methoxycarbonylcyclobutene, irrespective of the presence or the absence of unsaturated compounds. However, in the presence of acrylates or strained cycloalkenes, this diazo ester is being slowly involved into the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, giving cyclopropyl-substituted pyrazolinecarboxylates, which in case of 1-pyrazolines easily lose nitrogen molecule to selectively afford 1-cyclopropylcyclopropanecarboxylate derivatives. Dedicated to Academician V. A. Tartakovsky in honor of his 75th anniversary. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1459–1465, August, 2007.     

Synthesis and transformation of metallacycles. 25. On a mechanism of the Ni(acac)2-catalyzed conversion of 3-alkyl-1-ethylalumacyclopentanes into 1,1-disubstituted cyclopropanes

The reactions of 3-alkyl-1-ethylalumacyclopentanes with allyl halides in the presence of Ni(acac)₂ as a catalyst were studied by dynamic NMR spectroscopy. Under the action of Ni complexes, alumacyclopentanes initially undergo intramolecular hydride transfer to give but-3-enyl(ethyl)aluminum hydrides and then react with the starting allyl halide, yielding but-3-enyl(ethyl)aluminum halides. Subsequent intramolecular carboalumination affords the corresponding 1,1-disubstituted cyclopropanes.     

Sulfur ylides. 5. Reactions of phthalimide-containing keto-stabilized sulfonium ylides

Some reactions of phthalimide-containing keto-stabilized sulfur ylides have been investigated. It was established that in addition to the formation of the usual products for keto-stabilized sulfur ylides, the reaction with acrylonitrile is accompanied by a rearrangement and leads to 1,1-disubstituted cyclopropanes.Institute of Chemistry, Bashkir Science Center, Urals Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 450054 Ufa. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 720–726, March, 1992.     

Synthesis of Perfluoroalkyl‐Substituted γ‐Lactones and 4,5‐Dihydropyridazin‐3(2H)‐ones via Donor?Acceptor Cyclopropanes

Rh₂(OAc)₄‐Catalyzed decomposition of diazo esters in the presence of perfluoroalkyl‐ or perfluoroaryl‐substituted silyl enol ethers smoothly provided the corresponding alkyl 2‐siloxycyclopropanecarboxylates in very good yields. The generated donor? acceptor cyclopropanes are equivalents of γ‐oxo esters, which we demonstrated by their one‐pot transformations to yield fluorine‐containing heterocycles. A reductive procedure selectively afforded perfluoroalkyl‐substituted γ‐hydroxy esters or γ‐lactones. The treatment of the donor? acceptor cyclopropanes with hydrazine or phenylhydrazine afforded a series of perfluoroalkyl‐ and perfluoroaryl‐substituted 4,5‐dihydropyridazin‐3(2H)‐ones.     

Synthesis of (−)‐Cubebol by Face‐Selective Platinum‐, Gold‐, or Copper‐Catalyzed Cycloisomerization: Evidence of Chirality Transfer and Mechanistic Insights

We describe in detail a direct, stereoselective synthesis of (?)‐cubebol based on a Pt‐, Au‐, or Cu‐catalyzed cycloisomerization in which control of the configuration of the propargylic center is essential for the facial selectivity. In addition, we show that cycloisomerization reactions of enantioenriched propargyl pivalates occur with substantial chirality transfer. We confirm a mechanism by means of cyclization followed by an [1,2]‐acyl migration for the Pt‐ and the Au‐catalyzed cycloisomerization. So far, no evidence supports that the Cu‐catalyzed cycloisomerization follows the same reaction course.     

Lewis Acid or Brønsted Acid Catalyzed Reactions of Vinylidene Cyclopropanes with Activated Carbon–Nitrogen,Nitrogen–Nitrogen,and Iodine–Nitrogen Double‐Bond‐Containing Compounds

Lewis acid or Brønsted acid catalyzed reactions of vinylidene cyclopropanes (VDCPs), 1 , with activated carbon–nitrogen, nitrogen–nitrogen, and iodine–nitrogen double‐bond‐containing compounds have been thoroughly investigated. We found that pyrrolidine and 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoline derivatives can be formed in good yields in the reactions of VDCPs 1 with ethyl (arylimino)acetates 2 by a [3+2] cycloaddition or intramolecular Friedel–Crafts reaction pathway. Based on these results, we found that activated carbon–nitrogen and nitrogen–nitrogen double‐bond‐containing compounds, such as N‐toluene‐4‐sulfonyl (N‐Ts) imines 5 and diisopropylazodicarboxylate ( 7 ), can also react with VDCPs 1 to give [3+2] cycloaddition products in moderate to good yields in the presence of a Lewis acid. When N‐tert‐butoxycarbonyl aldimine 9 was used as the substrate, six‐membered cycloaddition products 10 and 11 were formed in moderate yields in the presence of a Brønsted acid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TfOH). The reactions of VDCPs 1 with N‐Ts‐iminophenyliodinane ( 12 ) were also carried out in the presence of (CuOTf)₂ ? C₆H₆ and it was found that nitrogen‐containing indene derivatives 13 were obtained, rather than the aziridination products. Plausible mechanisms for all of these transformations are discussed, based on the obtained results.