The chemistry of highly strained oligospirocyclopropane systems

Photochemical synthesis of benzoyl spiro[2.2]pentanes

In the present study, we describe the photochemical behaviour of 2-mesyloxy phenyl ketones 8 and 12 bearing a cyclopropane moiety in the side-chain. Irradiation of 8 and 12 leads to the corresponding benzoyl spiro[2.2]pentanes as a consequence of an initial gamma-H-shift, subsequent elimination of MsOH (accompanied by a spin-center shift) and cyclization of the resulting 1,3-diradicals. In contrast, a corresponding phenyl ketone without a mesyloxy group in the 2-position, and thus a potential reactant of the "classical" Norrish-Yang reaction, shows no photochemical reaction. By means of quantum chemical calculations we discovered that in the presence of a mesyloxy group the activation barrier for the photochemical gamma-H-shift is substantially decreased. Furthermore, a photoinduced skeletal rearrangement of benzoyl spiro[2.2]pentane to 2-cyclobutylidene-acetophenone could be observed. Compared to the common methods used to synthesize spiro[2.2]pentanes, the photochemical preparation of benzoyl spiro[2.2]pentane presented herein is the first example where a bond between the spiro atom and an adjacent atom is formed.

Syntheses and Properties of Enantiomerically Pure Higher (n ≥ 7) [n−2]Triangulanedimethanols and σ-[n]Helicenes

(P)-(+)-Hexaspiro[2.0.0.0. 0.0.2.1.1.1.1.1]pentadecane [(P)-17] as well as (M)-(-)- and (P)-(+)-octaspiro[2.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.2.1.1.1.1.1.1.1]nonadecanes [(M)- and (P)-25]-enantiomerically pure unbranched [7]- and [9]triangulanes-have been prepared starting from racemic THP-protected (methylenecyclopropyl)methanol 6. The relative configurations of all important intermediates as well as the absolute configurations of the key intermediates were established by X-ray crystal structure analyses. This new convergent approach to enantiomerically pure linear [n]triangulanes for n=7, 9 was also tested in two variants towards [15]triangulane. Some of the most prominent and unexpected features of the newly prepared compounds are the remarkable modes of self-assembly of the diols (P)-14, (E)-(3S,3'S,4S,4'S,5R,5'R)-21, (P)-(+)-22, and (E)-31 in the solid state through frameworks of intermolecular hydrogen bonds leading to, depending on the respective structure, nanotube- [(P)-14, (P)-(+)-22, and (E)-31], honeycomb-like structures [(E)-(3S,3'S,4S,4'S,5R,5'R)-21] or a supramolecular double helix [(P)-(+)- and (M)-(-)-22]. Liquid crystalline properties of the esters and ethers of the diols (P)-14, (P)-, and (M)-22 have also been tested. Although all of these [n]triangulanes have no chromophore which would lead to significant absorptions above 200 nm, they exhibit surprisingly high specific rotations even at 589 nm with [alpha](20)(D)=+672.9 (c=0.814 in CHCl(3)) for (P)-(+)-17, +909.9 (c=0.96 in CHCl(3)) for (P)-(+)-25, -890.5 (c=1.01 in CHCl(3)) for (M)-(-)-25, and -1302.5 (c=0.36 in CHCl(3)) for (M)-(-)-39, and the specific rotations increase drastically on going to shorter wavelengths. This outstanding rotatory power is in line with their rather rigid helical arrangement of sigma bonds, and accordingly these helically shaped unbranched [n]triangulanes may be termed "sigma-[n]helicenes", as they represent the sigma-bond analogues of the aromatic pi-[n]helicenes. Density functional theory (DFT) computations at the B3 LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory for the geometry optimization and time-dependent DFT for determining optical rotations with a triplet-zeta basis set (B3 LYP/TZVP) reproduce the optical rotatory dispersions (ORD) very well for the lower members (n=4, 5) of the sigma-[n]helicenes. For the higher ones (n=7, 9, 15) the computed specific rotations turn out increasingly larger than the experimental values. The remarkable increase of the specific rotation with an increasing number of three-membered rings is proportional neither to the molecular weight nor to the number of cyclopropane rings in these sigma-[n]helicenes.

Syntheses and Structures of Sterically Congested Linear and Branched Cobalta[n]triangulanes

Treatment of {eta(5):eta(1)[2-(di-tert-butylphosphanyl-P)ethyl]cyclopentadienyl}cobalt(I) chloride (5) with methylenecyclopropane (3) or bicyclopropylidene (4), as well as with their spirocyclopropanated analogues methylenespiropentane (7), cyclopropylidenespiropentane (10), or 7,7'-bi(dispiro[2.0.2.1]heptylidene) (15) in the presence of sodium amalgam at -50 degrees C, furnished the stable cobalt complexes 6, 9, 8, 11, and 16, respectively, in 72, 83, 84, 86, and 54 % isolated yield, respectively. The complexes 14 and 16 were also obtained by ligand exchange of the ethene complex {eta(5):eta(1)[2-(di-tert-butylphosphanyl-P)ethyl]cyclopentadienyl}(eta(2)-ethene)cobalt(I) (12) with 13 and 15 in 79 and 52 % yield, respectively. The X-ray crystal-structure analyses of complexes 9, 14, and 16, as well as the NMR-spectroscopic data of all complexes, reveal that they can be regarded as linear and branched cobalta[n]triangulanes. The thermal stability of complexes 6, 8, and 9 up to 109, 145, and 160 degrees C was determined by differential thermal analysis-thermogravimetry (DTA-TG) analysis.

Low-temperature Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Aliphatic Dicarboxylate Monoanions, HO2C(CH2)nCO2- (n = 1−10): Hydrogen Bond Induced Cyclization and Strain Energies

Photoelectron spectra of singly charged dicarboxylate anions HO(2)C(CH(2))(n)CO(2)(-) (n = 1-10) are obtained at two different temperatures (300 and 70 K) at 193 nm. The electron binding energies of these species are observed to be much higher than the singly charged monocarboxylate anions, suggesting that the singly charged dicarboxylate anions are cyclic due to strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the terminal -CO(2)H and -CO(2)(-) groups. The measured electron binding energies are observed to depend on the chain length, reflecting the different -CO(2)H...(-)O(2)C- hydrogen bonding strength as a result of strain in the cyclic conformation. A minimum binding energy is found at n = 5, indicating that its intramolecular hydrogen bond is the weakest. At 70 K, all spectra are blue shifted relative to the room-temperature spectra with the maximum binding energy shift occurring at n = 5. These observations suggest that the cyclic conformation of HO(2)C(CH(2))(5)CO(2)(-) (a ten-membered ring) is the most strained among the 10 anions. The present study shows that the -CO(2)H...(-)O(2)C- hydrogen bonding strength is different among the 10 anions and it is very sensitive to the strain in the cyclic conformations.

Linear and Branched Phospha[n]triangulanes

Novel, highly stable, linear and branched mono- and diphospha[n]triangulanes were synthesized in high yields by the CuCl-catalyzed phosphinidene addition to spirocyclopropanated methylenecyclopropanes and bicyclopropylidenes. The effect of spirofusion on the electronic properties of these esthetically attractive phosphacycles is apparent from X-ray single crystal structure analyses, which reveals a tightening of the phosphirane ring on additional spirocyclopropanation, and from the NMR features that show deshielded chemical shifts for the ring-phosphorus and -carbon atoms. Steric factors play a role in the addition reaction when the substrate alkene carries a second sphere of spirocyclopropane rings and causes the formation of 2-phosphabicyclo[3.2.0]heptenes in small amounts. These by-products most probably result from addition of the [PhP(Cl)W(CO)(5)]-Cu-L (L=alkene or solvent) reagent to the spirocyclopropanated bicyclopropylidene to give an intermediate sigma-complex, which subsequently, facilitated by steric factors, undergoes a cyclopropylcarbinyl to cyclobutyl ring expansion followed by a [1,3]-sigmatropic shift.

Concise synthesis of novel oxa-bridged compounds

[structures: see text] A stereoselective strategy for the replacement of the 1,2-dihaloalkene bridge of tetrahalonorbornyl derivatives by an oxygen bridge involving stepwise controlled oxidation, cleavage of the dione thus formed, and reiterative intramolecular S(N)2 displacement of two bridgehead halogens is devised. The synthesis of four highly strained pentacyclic bis-oxa-bridged derivatives 10, 27, 28, and 29 with interesting structural variations is presented. The two oxa bridges are syn to each other, separated by central cyclohexane and cycloheptane rings in 10 and 27, while they are anti to each other and are separated by central cyclopentane and furan rings in 28 and 29. In the case of the highly symmetric bis-oxa-bridged derivative 10 the two syn oxa bridges constrain the central cyclohexane ring into the boat form. The endo,anti,endo 2:1 bis adducts of 1,2,3,4-tetrahalo-5,5-dimethoxycyclopenta-1,3-diene with cyclopentadiene were prepared for the first time, while the reactivites of previously unexplored bis adducts derived from furan and cycloheptatriene were revealed.

Stereoselective Functionalization of Cyclopropane Derivatives Using Bromine/Magnesium and Sulfoxide/Magnesium Exchange Reactions

The reaction of 2,2-dibromo-1-methyl-cyclopropanecarbonitrile (1) with i-PrMgCl in Et(2)O/CH(2)Cl(2) provides the cis-magnesium-carbenoid (2), which reacts with high retention of configuration with various electrophiles. If E = SPh, a stereoselective generation of a quaternary center via a sequential Br/Mg- and sulfoxide/Mg-exchange can be achieved. [reaction: see text]

Highly functionalized organomagnesium reagents prepared through halogen-metal exchange

Organomagnesium reagents occupy a central position in synthetic organic and organometallic chemistry. Recently, the halogen-magnesium exchange has considerably extended the range of functionalized Grignard reagents available for synthetic purposes. Functional groups such as esters, nitriles, iodides, imines, or even nitro groups can be present in a wide range of aromatic and heterocyclic organomagnesium reagents. Also various highly functionalized alkenyl magnesium species can be prepared. These recent developments as well as new applications of organomagnesium reagents in cross-coupling reactions and amination reactions will be covered in this Review.

Reactivities of methylenetriangulanes and spirocyclopropanated bicyclopropylidenes toward bromine. Relative stabilities of spirocyclopropanated versus methyl-substituted bromonium ions

The bromine additions to methylenecyclopropane (1), bicyclopropylidene (2), and spirocyclopropanated methylenecyclopropanes and bicyclopropylidenes 3-6 in methanol at 25 degrees C proceed essentially with the same rate as those to the corresponding oligomethyl-substituted ethylenes. An increasing number of spiroannelated three-membered rings enhances the rate of bromination and stabilizes the intermediate cyclopropyl bromonium cations against ring opening in the course of bromine addition. Calculations at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level show that unsymmetrical bromonium ions are the intermediates, and that they are stabilized by the spiroannelation with cyclopropane rings. The bromonium ion derived from 1 is less stable by 6.3 kcal mol-1 than that from isobutene. One or two spirocyclopropane rings as in 3 and 4 stabilize the corresponding bromonium ion by 9.6 and 16.4 kcal mol-1, respectively, while one or two alpha-cyclopropyl substituents as in ethenylcyclopropane (7) and 1,1-dicyclopropylethene (8) stabilize the corresponding bromonium ions by 13 and 29 kcal mol-1, respectively. The experimental bromination rates of all the studied alkenes correlate reasonably well (r2 = 0.93) with calculated relative energies of the corresponding bromonium ions. The correlation is even better within the series of methylenecyclopropanes 1, 3, and 4 (r2 = 0.974) and bicyclopropylidenes 2, 5, and 6 (r2 = 0.999). The experimental bromination rates also correlate fairly well with the first ionization energies of the corresponding alkenes 1-12 (with r2 = 0.963) and 13-19 (with r2 = 0.991). The calculated preferred nucleophilic attack of a water molecule at both the C1' and C1 atoms of representative bromonium ions conforms well to the experimentally observed product distribution.

The first enantiomerically pure [n]triangulanes and analogues: sigma-[n]helicenes with remarkable features

(M)-(-)- and (P)-(+)-Trispiro[2.0.0.2.1.1]nonanes [(M)- and (P)-3] as well as (M)-(-)- and (P)-(+)-tetraspiro[2.0.0.0.2.1.1.1]undecanes [(M)- and (P)-4]-enantiomerically pure unbranched [4]- and [5]triangulanes-have been prepared starting from racemic bicyclopropylidenecarboxylic [(1RS)-12] and exo-dispiro[2.0.2.1]heptane-1-carboxylic [(1RS,3SR)-13] acids. The optical resolutions of rac-12 and rac-13 furnished enantiomerically pure acids (S)-(+)-12, (R)-(-)-12, (1R,3S)-(-)-13, and (1S,3R)-(+)-13. The ethyl ester (R)-25 of the acid (R)-(-)-12 was cyclopropanated to give carboxylates (1R,3R)-26 and (1R,3S)-26. The ester (1R,3S)-26 and acids (1R,3S)-13 and (1S,3R)-13 were converted into enantiomerically pure methylene[3]triangulanes (S)-(-)- and (R)-(+)-28. An alternative approach consisted of an enzymatic deracemization of endo-[(1SR,3SR)-dispiro[2.0.2.1]heptyl]methanol (rac-20) or anti-[(1SR,3RS)-4-methylenespiropentyl]methanol (rac-18). This afforded (S)-(-)- and (R)-(+)-28 (starting from rac-20), as well as enantiomerically pure (M)-(-)- and (P)-(+)-1,4-dimethylenespiropentanes [(M)- and (P)-23] starting from rac-18. The methylenetriangulanes (S)-(-)- and (R)-(+)-28 were cyclopropanated furnishing (M)- and (P)-3. The rhodium-catalyzed cycloaddition of ethyl diazoacetate onto (S)-(-)- and (R)-(+)-28 yielded four diastereomeric ethyl trispiro[2.0.0.2.1.1]nonane-1-carboxylates in approximately equal proportions. The enantiomerically pure esters (1R,3S,4S)- and (1S,3R,4R)-30 were isolated by careful distillation and then transformed into [5]triangulanes (M)- and (P)-4 using the same sequence of reactions as applied for (M)- and (P)-3. The structures of the key intermediates (R)-12 and rac-31 were confirmed by X-ray analyses. Although [4]- and [5]triangulanes have no chromophore which would lead to any significant absorption above 200 nm, they have remarkably high specific rotations even at 589 nm with [alpha](20)D=-192.7 [(M)-3, c=1.18, CHCl(3))] or +373.0 [(P)-4, c=1.18, CHCl(3))]. This remarkable optical rotatation is in line with their helical arrangement of sigma bonds, as confirmed by a full valence space single excitation configuration interaction treatment (SCI) in conjunction with DFT computations at the B3LYP/TZVP//B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory which reproduce the ORD very well. Thus, it is appropriate to call the helically shaped unbranched [n]triangulanes the "sigma-[n]helicenes", representing the sigma-bond analogues of the aromatic [n]helicenes.

Enantioselective synthesis of spiropentanes from hydroxymethylallenes

[reaction: see text]. Hydroxymethylallenes are efficiently converted to the corresponding spiropentanes in high yields and enantiomeric ratios upon treatment with Zn(CH2I)2 and dioxaborolane ligand 1. The reaction also proceeds with complete diastereocontrol. The application of this methodology to the synthesis of spiropentaneacetic acid is also presented.

Spirocyclopropanated bicyclopropylidenes: straightforward preparation, physical properites, and chemical transformations

Perspirocyclopropanated bicyclopropylidene (6) was prepared in three steps from 7-cyclopropylidenedispiro[2.0.2.1]heptane (4) (24% overall) or, more efficiently, through dehalogenative coupling of 7,7-dibromo[3]triangulane (15) (82%). This type of reductive dimerization turned out to be successful for the synthesis of (E)- and (Z)-bis(spiropentylidene) 14 (67%) and even of the "third-generation" spirocyclopropanated bicyclopropylidene 17 (17% overall from 15). Whereas the parent bicyclopropylidene 1 dimerized at 180 degrees C to yield [4]rotane, dimerization of 6 at 130 degrees C under 10 kbar pressure occured only with opening of one three-membered ring to yield the polyspirocyclopropanated (cyclopropylidene)cyclopentane derivative 19 (34% yield), and at the elevated temperature the polyspirocyclopropanated 2-cyclopropylidene[3.2.2]propellane derivative 20 (25 % yield). Perspirocyclopropanated bicyclopropylidene 6 and the "third-generation" bicyclopropylidene 17 gave addition of bromine, hydrogen bromide, and various dihalocarbenes without rearrangement. The functionally substituted branched [7]triangulane 28 and branched dichloro-C2v-[15]triangulane 32 were used to prepare the perspirocyclopropanated [3]rotane (D3h-[10]triangulane) 49 (six steps from 6, 1.4% overall yield) and the C2v-[15]triangulane 51 (two steps from 17, 41% overall). Upon catalytic hydrogenation, the perspirocyclopropanated bicyclopropylidene 6 yielded 7,7'-bis(dispiro[2.0.2.]-heptyl) (52) and, under more forcing conditions, 1,1'-bis(2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropyl) (53). The bromofluorocarbene adduct 33 of 17 reacted with butyllithium to give the unexpected polyspirocyclopropanated 1,4-di-n-butyl-2-cyclopropylidenebicyclo[2.2.0]hexane derivative 37 as the main product (55% yield) along with the expected "third-generation" perspirocyclopropanated dicyclopropylidenemethane 38 (21% yield). Mechanistic aspects of this and the other unusual reactions are discussed. The structures of all new unusual hydrocarbons were proven by X-ray crystal structure analyses, and the most interesting structural and crystal packing features are presented.

Rearrangement kinetics of spiropentylchlorocarbene, [3]triangulylchlorocarbene, and related species

[structure: see text] Absolute rate constants were measured for the 1,2-CH(2), 1,2-cyclopropyl, and 1,2-CMe(2) rearrangements of spiropentylchlorocarbene (5), [3]triangulylchlorocarbene (6), and tetramethylcyclopropylchlorocarbene (7). The factors responsible for the observed relative migratory aptitudes (cyclopropyl > CH(2) > CMe(2)) were analyzed with the aid of electronic structure calculations.