Cycloadditions of 1-iminylphosphirane complexes with allenes

A cascade carbonylative ring expansion and [2 + 2]/[4 + 2] cycloaddition of strained 1-iminylphosphirane complexes with aryl allenes were reported. The carbonylative ring expansion of 1-iminylphosphirane complexes provides an azaphosphacyclohexone complex intermediate with a C=P double bond. The following [2 + 2] or dearomatic [4 + 2] cycloaddition of this intermediate with allenes is modulated by the aryl substituents on the imino carbon. The regioselective [2 + 2] cycloaddition with 1,1-diarylallene provides an entry to bicyclo[4.2.0]octan-4-one skeletons featuring a four-membered phosphacyclobu-tane moiety. While dearomatic [4 + 2] cycloaddition was preferred with less aromatic naphthalene and yielded octahydrochrysene skeleton containing heteroatoms.