Benzoannelated cis,cis,cis,trans-[5.5.5.6]fenestranes: syntheses, base lability, and flattened molecular structure of strained epimers of the all-cis series

Tribenzofenestranes possessing the strained cis,cis,cis,trans-5.5.5.6]-fenestrane skeleton have been synthesized from cis-2,6-diphenylspirocyclohexane-1,2'-indane]-1',3'-diols by two-fold cyclodehydration, in striking analogy to the strategy used previously to construct the stereoisomeric all-cis-tribenzo5.5.5.6]fenestranes from the corresponding trans-diphenylspirodiols. In this manner, both of the parent hydrocarbons, all-cis-tribenzo5.5.5.6]fenestrane 3 and cis,cis,cis,trans-tribenzo5.5.5.6]fenestrane 4, have been made accessible from the spirodiketones 5 and 6, respectively. The C6-functionalized derivatives of 4-cis,cis,cis,trans-fenestranol 9 and cis,cis,cis,trans-fenestranone 12-were prepared through cis-diphenylspirotriol 8 and cis-diphenyldispiroacetaldiol 11, by using the same strategy. The cis,cis,cis,trans-5.5.5.6]fenestrane framework readily epimerizes to the more stable all-cis isomers under basic conditions, but is stable under neutral or acidic conditions. For example, cis,cis,cis,trans-fenestranone 12 yielded all-cis fenestrane 3 under Wolff-Kishner conditions, but cis,cis,cis,trans-isomer 4 under Clemmensen conditions. Epimerization was also circumvented by radical-induced desulfurization of fenestrane dithiolane 15 with nBu3SnH/AIBN, producing 4 in excellent yields. A single-crystal X-ray structure analysis of 4 revealed that, in accordance with force field and semi-empirical MO calculations, the extra strain of the benzoannelated cis,cis,cis,trans-5.5.5.6]fenestratriene framework Estrain(4)-Estrain(3)=46 kJmol(-1)] is due both to the almost perfect boat conformation of the six-membered ring and to considerable bond angle widening at the central, non-bridged C4b-C15d-C11b unit (121 degrees). H/D exchange experiments with the cis,cis,cis,trans hydrocarbon 4 under basic conditions demonstrated that the strain-induced epimerization to 3 occurs through direct deprotonation of the "epimeric" benzylic bridgehead C7a-H bond, which was found to be more acidic than the two C-H bonds at the benzhydrylic bridgeheads.