Electrocyclic reactions of tetraenes: Influence of terminal substituents

Conjugated tetraenes with both central double bonds of cis configuration undergo a series of thermal reactions, the observable products being markedly dependent on the nature of the terminal substituents. Dimethyl 2E,4Z,6Z,8E-decatetraene-1,10-dioate (16) was prepared and found to cyclize readily at 50° to trans dimethyl 2,4-bicyclo4.2.0)octadiene-6,7-dicarboxylate (18). This reaction proceeds to equilibrium, and the rates and equilibrium constants at the indicated temperatures are: 3.0 × 10^-5 sec^-1 ?40°; 8.2 × 10^-5 sec^-1, 16.0,50°; ?10.0,75°; ?7.47,100° with the equilibrium favoring (18). A sample of 1,8-diphenyl-1E,3Z,5Z;7E-octatetraene (1) showed no reaction below 120°, and at 175° all trans 1,8-diphenyl-octatetraene, cis and trans stilbenes, trans-5-phenyl-6(cis-styryl)-1,3-cyclohexadiene cis-5-phenyl-6-(trans-styryl)-1,3-cyclohexadiene, and cis and trans 6,8-diphenyl-tricyclo3.2.1.0^2.7]oct-3-enes were formed. At 100° in the presence of excess dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate 1 gave dimethyl trans-3,4-diphenyltricyclo4.2.2.0^2.5]deca-6,9-dien-6,7-dicarboxylate. Finally 1,4-di(1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-1,3-batadiyne, hydrogenated over a Lindlar catalyst, gave only tricyclo10.4.0.0^6,11]hexadeca-1,3,5-triene.