Reactions of a Four-Membered Borete with Carbon,Silicon, and Gallium Donor Ligands: Fused and Spiro-Type Boracycles

Donor-acceptor cyclopropanes or cyclobutanes are dipolar reagents, which are widely used in the synthesis of complex organic (hetero)cycles in ring expansion reactions. Applying this concept to boron containing heterocycles, the four-membered borete cyclo-iPr₂N-BC₁₀H₆ reacted with the carbon donor ligands 2,6-xylylisonitrile and the carbene IMes :C(NMesCH)₂ with ring expansion and ring fusion, respectively. In particular, the tetracyclic structure formed with IMes displays zwitterionic character and absorption in the visible region. In contrast to the carbene IMes, the heavier carbenoids :Si(NDippCH)₂ and :Ga(AmIm) with a two-coordinate donor atom afford spiro-type bicyclic compounds, which display four-coordinate geometry at silicon or gallium. (TD-)DFT calculations provide deeper insight into the mechanism of formation and the absorption properties of these new compounds.     

Polarity matching of radical trapping: high yielding 3-exo and 4-exo cyclizations

A catalyzed synthesis of cyclopropanes and cyclobutanes via radical chemistry is described. The method that generally proceeds in high yields uses epoxides as radical precursors and titanocene(III) complexes as the electron transfer catalysts (see scheme). The key to the success of the transformation is constituted by the chemoselectivity of radical reduction. Electrophilic enol radicals generated through cyclization are reduced rapidly whereas their precursors, nucleophilic alkyl radicals, remain unaffected.     

Synthesis of Highly Substituted Cyclobutane Fused‐Ring Systems from N‐Vinyl β‐Lactams through a One‐Pot Domino Process

In this contribution, aminocyclobutanes, as well as eight‐membered enamide rings, have been made from N‐vinyl β‐lactams. The eight‐membered products have been formed by a [3,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement, whereas the aminocyclobutanes have been derived from a domino [3,3]‐rearrangement/6π‐electrocyclisation process. The aminocyclobutanes have been obtained in a highly diastereoselective fashion. The cyclobutane ring system tolerates fusion even if adjacent quaternary centres are present. Systems containing up to four fused rings are readily accessible. The reaction profile has been investigated by using Gaussian 03. This study suggests that two reaction pathways for aminocyclobutane formation are possible. In one pathway the [3,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement is the rate‐limiting step and in the second pathway the electrocyclisation is rate limiting. Taken together, these reactions should facilitate the construction of fused heterocycles.     

A 1H NMR and theoretical investigation of the conformations of some monosubstituted cyclobutanes

The complete analysis of the complex (1)H NMR spectra of some monosubstituted cyclobutanes was achieved to give all the (1)H chemical shifts and (n)J(HH) (n = 2, 3 and 4) coupling constants in these molecules. The substituent chemical shifts of the substituents in the cyclobutane ring differ significantly from those in acyclic systems. For example, the OH and the NH(2) groups in cyclobutanol and cyclobutylamine produce a large shielding of the hydrogens of the opposite CH(2) group of the ring compared with little effect on the comparable methylene protons of butane. These effects and the other (1)H shifts in the cyclobutanes were modelled successfully in the CHARGE program. The RMS error (calculated vs observed shifts) for the 34 (1)H shifts recorded was 0.053 ppm. The conformational equilibrium in these compounds between the axial and the equatorial conformers was obtained by comparing the observed and the calculated (4)J(HH) couplings. These couplings in cyclobutanes, in contrast to the corresponding (3)J(HH) couplings, show a pronounced orientation dependence; (4)J(eq-eq) is ca 5 Hz and (4)J(ax-ax) ca 0 Hz. The couplings in the individual conformers were calculated at the B3LYP/EPR-III level. The conformer energy differences ΔG(ax-eq) vary from 1.1 kcal mol(-1) for OH to 0.2 kcal mol(-1) for the CH(2)OH substituent. The values of the conformer energy differences are compared with the previous IR data and the corresponding theoretical values from molecular mechanics (MM) and DFT theory. Generally, good agreement is observed although both the MM and the DFT calculations deviate significantly from the observed values for some substituents.     

Enantioselective (4+2) Annulation of Donor–Acceptor Cyclobutanes by N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysis

Herein we report the enantioselective (4+2) annulation of donor–acceptor cyclobutanes and unsaturated acyl fluorides using N‐heterocyclic carbene catalysis. The reaction allows a 3‐step synthesis of cyclohexyl β‐lactones (25 examples) in excellent chemical yield (most ≥90 %) and stereochemical integrity (all >20:1 d.r., most ≥97:3 e.r.). Mechanistic studies support ester enolate Claisen rearrangement, while derivatizations provide functionalized cyclohexenes and dihydroquinolinones.     

Reductive Carbocyclization of Homoallylic Alcohols to syn‐Cyclobutanes by a Boron‐Catalyzed Dual Ring‐Closing Pathway

The organoborane‐catalyzed reductive carbocyclization of homoallylic alcohols has been developed by using hydrosilanes as reducing reagents to provide a range of 1,2‐disubstituted arylcyclobutanes. The reaction proceeds in a cis‐selective manner with high efficiency under mild conditions. Mechanistic studies, including deuterium scrambling and Hammett studies, and DFT calculations, suggest a dual ring‐closing pathway.     

Stereospecific palladium(0)-catalyzed reduction of 2-cyclobutylidenepropyl esters. A versatile preparation of diastereomeric monoterpenoids: (±)-fragranol and (±)-grandisol

Mixtures of (E and Z)-2-cyclobutylidenepropyl sulfonates, readily available from α,α-disubstituted cyclobutanones arising from suitable cyclopropane derivatives ring expansion, underwent regioselective and stereospecific reduction by formate anion to offer, through π-1,1-trimethyleneallylpalladium complexes formed upon treatment with palladium(0), a new and convenient entry to the diastereomeric four-membered ring monoterpenoids (±)-fragranol and (±)-grandisol.