Photolytic, thermal, addition, and cycloaddition reactions of 2-diazo-5,6- and -3,8-disubstituted acenaphthenones

Preparation and varied thermal and photolytic reactions of 2-diazo-5,6-(disubstituted)acenaphthenones (11a-d) and 2-diazo-3,8-dimethoxyacenaphthenone (12) are reported. Alcohols react thermally and photolytically with 11a-c with losses of N(2) to yield 2-alkoxynaphthenones (24a,band 47a,b) and acenaphthenones (25 and 48a,b). Aniline and diphenylamine are converted by 11a-c at 180 degrees C to acenaph1,2-b]indoles (29a,b and 53a,b). Thermolyses of 11a-c at approximately 450 degrees C (0.15 mmHg) yield reduction products 25 and 48a,b, respectively. Wolff rearrangements to 1,8-naphthyleneketenes (15a-d) and/or their derivatives are not observed in the above experiments. Oxygen converts 11a-c thermally to acenaphthenequinones (19a-c) and/or 1,8-naphthalic anhydrides. Insertion, addition, substitution, and/or isomerization reactions occur upon irradiation of 2-diazoacenaphthenones in cyclohexane, benzene, and tetrahydrofuran. Photolysis of 11d in benzene in the presence of O(2) yields the insertion-oxidation product 2-hydroxy-5,6-dinitro-2-phenylacenaphthenone (60). Photolyses of 11a-c in nitriles result in N(2) evolution and dipolar cycloaddition to give acenaph1,2-d]oxazoles (41 and 61a,b). Acetylenes undergo thermal and photolytic cycloaddition/1,5-sigmatropic rearrangement reactions with 11a-d with N(2) retention to give pyrazolo5,1-a]quinolin-7-ones (69f-j). 2-Diazoacenaphthenones 1a and 11a react thermally and photolytically with electronegatively-substituted olefins with N(2) expulsion to yield (E)- and (Z)-2-oxospiroacenaphthylene-1(2H),1'cyclopropanes] 73a-c and 74a-c, respectively. The mechanisms of the reactions of 1a, 11a-d, and 12 reported are discussed.