Ethene-1,1-disulfonyl Difluoride (EDSF) for SuFEx Click Chemistry: Synthesis of SuFExable 1,1-Bissulfonylfluoride Substituted Cyclobutene Hubs

We present the synthesis of 1,1-bis(fluorosulfonyl)-2-(pyridin-1-ium-1-yl)ethan-1-ide, a bench-stable precursor to ethene-1,1-disulfonyl difluoride (EDSF). The novel SuFEx reagent, EDSF, is demonstrated in the preparation of 26 unique 1,1-bissulfonylfluoride substituted cyclobutenes via a cycloaddition reaction. The regioselective click cycloaddition reaction is rapid, straightforward, and highly efficient, enabling the generation of highly functionalized 4-membered ring (4MR) carbocycles. These carbocycles are valuable structural motifs found in numerous bioactive natural products and pharmaceutically relevant small molecules. Additionally, we showcase diversification of the novel cyclobutene cores through selective Cs₂CO₃-activated SuFEx click chemistry between a single S−F group and an aryl alcohol, yielding the corresponding sulfonate ester products with high efficiency. Finally, density functional theory calculations offer mechanistic insights about the reaction pathway.     

A novel thermal rearrangement of allenic imidothioates. Formation of iminocyclobutenes

Allenic imidothioates, H₂CCC(Ph)C(SMe)NR (R = Me, t-Bu, Ph) have been obtained in good yields by reaction of 1,3-dilithiated 1-(2-propynyl)benzene with isothiocyanates and successive addition of t-butyl alcohol and methyl iodide. Heating the imidothioates at ∼120 °C gave an iminocyclobutene as the only isolated product (if R = t-Bu), a ∼4:6 mixture of a 2,3-dihydropyridine and an iminocyclobutene (if R = Me) or a 3:1 mixture of a quinoline and an iminocyclobutene (if R = Ph).     

Synthesis of multi-substituted cyclobutenes: Cyclic strategy for [2 + 2] cycloaddition of ketene silyl acetals with propiolates

Cyclic ketene silyl acetals were utilized for [2 + 2] cycloaddition with propiolates to prevent an undesired electrocyclic ring opening reaction. Trimethylaluminum catalyzed this cycloaddition to afford the cyclobutene derivatives in high yields. The advantage of this reaction was highlighted by the successful application of β-substituted propiolates to afford the multi-substituted cyclobutenes. Furthermore, we applied this methodology to the late stage functionalization of natural product artemisinin.     

Photocycloaddition of Conjugated Cyclohex‐2‐enones to 2,3‐Dimethylbuta‐1,3‐diene

On irradiation, in the presence of 2,3‐dimethylbuta‐1,3‐diene, naphthalen‐2‐ones 1 are quantitatively and regioselectively converted to mixtures of diastereoisomeric cyclobutane adducts 3 and 4 , whereas, under these conditions, 3‐(alk‐1‐ynyl)cyclohex‐2‐enones 5 give only one cyclobutane adduct 6 regio‐ and diastereoselectively. In contrast, 3‐(alk‐1‐ynyl)‐2‐methylcyclohex‐2‐enones 10 undergo [2+2]‐cycloaddition to the same diene exclusively at the C≡C bond to afford hitherto unknown 3‐cyclobutenylcyclohex‐2‐enones 11 .     

New, optimized preparation of 1,2-dichlorocyclobuten-3,4-dione (C4O2Cl2) from squaric acid and oxalyl chloride

1,2-Dichlorocyclobuten-3,4-dione, a key intermediate in the chemistry of cyclobutenes and their derivatives is obtained by the dimethylformamide catalyzed reaction of squaric acid and oxalyl chloride. The process was optimized by using guidelines from thermodynamics, transport properties, and experimental observations, and gives nearly quantitatively a product which can be easily brought to very high purity.     

Cyclobutanones and Cyclobutenones in Nature and in Synthesis [New Synthetic Methods(71)]

The chemical reactivity of cyclobutanones and cyclobutenones is considerably different from that of cyclic ketones with larger rings; this is due to their ring strain of ca. 25 kcal/mol. Detailed knowledge regarding the influence of this ring strain on regio-, chemo- and stereoselective transformations of four-membered ring ketones is of particular importance. While several reactions, such as the Baeyer–Villiger reaction, the Beckmann and Favorskii rearrangements and cine-substitution often proceed in a manner specific to four-membered rings, other reactions such as the facile ring-opening by nucleophiles, the rearrangement to tropolones, the thermal [2+2]-cycloreversion, the isomerization to vinylketenes and the photochemical formation of oxacarbenes are rather specific to cyclobutanones and cyclobutenones. The remarkable selectivity and the excellent yields of such transformations, which are favored or caused by ring strain as the inherent driving force, offer the synthetic chemist fascinating possibilities for the development of new strategies for the synthesis of natural products and biologically active compounds.     

The Chemistry of Phenylcyclobutenediones

Phenylcyclobutenediones are easily obtainable and very stable. Depending on the nature of the substituent R in position 3, they may be formally regarded as vinylogous carboxylic acid derivatives (R?halogen, OCH₃, OH, SH) or as α,β-unsaturated diketo compounds (R?H, alkyl, aryl). Their behavior in reactions justifies this approach. Ring contraction, ring expansion, and ring cleavage reactions are described.     

Nickel-Catalyzed Tunable Enantioconvergence and Kinetic Resolution in the Coupling of Tertiary Cyclobutenols with Arylboroxines

We report that a nickel catalyst system with a modified 1,1′-spirobiindane-7,7′-diol-phosphoramidite (SPINOL) as the chiral ligand can enable the coupling of tertiary cyclobutenols and arylboroxines in an enantioconvergent manner, providing cyclobutenes with an all-carbon quaternary stereocenter in good yields (up to 84 % yield) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99 % ee). Moreover, the catalytic system can be applied in the kinetic resolution of cyclobutenols under slightly modified conditions, giving enantioenriched tertiary cyclobutenols with an s factor of up to >200. The reaction uses free hydroxyl groups as the leaving group without additional activation while the strained ring remains untouched. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal that the inherent discrepant reactivity of the two enantiomers is the key to the controllable enantioconvergent and kinetic resolution process.     

Stereoselective Thermal Conversion of s-trans-Diallene into Dimethylenecyclobutene via s-cis-Diallene in the Crystalline State

A conrotatory [2+2] cyclization is the second step in the solid-state thermal reaction of s-trans-tetraaryldibromohexatetraenes 1 to cyclobutenes 4 . Prior to the cyclization 1 rearranges into the cis conformer 3 . Surprisingly the thermal rearrangement and the stereoselective cyclization occur readily in spite of the required motion of the sterically bulky substituents. R=Ph, p-MeC₆H₄.     

Isomerizations in Cyclobutenes

The present article deals with acid-catalyzed rearrangements and thermal valence isomerizations in cyclobutenes. The characteristic features of small rings, i.e. their practically planar structure and the ring strain, are in fact the causes of the rearrangements discussed.