Cobalt-Mediated [2 + 2 + 2]-Cycloadditions: A Maturing Synthetic Strategy [New Synthetic Methods (43)]

[4 + 2] cycloaromatization of 4-bis(methylthio)-3-buten-2-one with active methylene ketones: a simple and facile phenol annulation

A new method for beta-phenol annulation involving base-induced [4C + 2C] cycloaromatization of readily available 4-bis(methylthio)-3-buten-2-one with a variety of cyclic and acyclic active methylene ketones has been reported. Appropriate choice of ketones allows synthesis of diverse frameworks such as dihydroindan, tetrahydronaphthalenes, their higher homologues, dihydro/octahydrophenanthrenes, anthracene, and heteroannulated analogue in high yields with regiocontrol of phenolic functionality.

New efficient construction of the ABC core of the taxoids via a sequence of consecutive cobalt(I)-mediated [2 + 2 + 2] and [4 + 2] cyclizations

[reaction: see text] A new and efficient sequence of two consecutive cyclizations, a cobalt(I)-mediated [2 + 2 + 2] cyclotrimerization and a Diels-Alder reaction, is proposed to allow the formation of the ABC core of the taxoids in 65% overall yield, starting from an acyclic polyunsaturated precursor.

Synthesis of a giant 222 carbon graphite sheet

In this paper we present the synthesis and characterization of the so far largest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), containing 222 carbon atoms or 37 separate benzene units. First a suitable three-dimensional oligophenylene precursor molecule is built up by a sequence of Diels-Alder and cyclotrimerization reactions and then planarized in the final step by oxidative cyclodehydrogenation to the corresponding hexagonal PAH. Structural proof is based on isotopically resolved MALDI-TOF mass spectra and electronic characteristics are studied by UV/Vis spectroscopy.

Ni-catalyzed highly regio- and chemoselective cocycloaddition of nonconjugated diynes with 1,3-diynes: a novel method for polysubstituted arylalkynes

[reaction: see text] Effective nickel-catalyzed cocycloaddition of nonconjugated diynes with conjugated diynes yields polysubstituted arylalkynes in good to excellent yields with high regio- and chemoselectivity.

Covalent Analogues of DNA Base-Pairs and Triplets IV. Synthesis of Trisubstituted Benzenes Bearing Purine and/or Pyrimidine Rings by Cyclotrimerization of 6-Ethynylpurines and/or 5-Ethynyl-1,3-dimethyluracil

Ni-Catalyzed cyclotrimerizations of 6-ethynylpurines 3 or 5-ethynyl-1,3-dimethyluracil (4) afforded the 1,2,4-tris(purin-6-yl)benzenes 7 or 1,2,4-tris(1,3-dimetyhyluracil-5-yl)benzene (9), respectively. The symmetrical 1,3,5-tris(purin-6-yl)benzenes 8 were also formed as minor products in very low yields. Co-cyclotrimerization of 9-benzyl-6-ethynylpurine (3a) with 4 afforded the tris(purinyl)benzene 7a as a major product along with 1,2-bis(9-benzylpurin-6-yl)-4-(1,3-dimethyluracil-5-yl)benzene (10) and a complex mixture of other derivatives and isomers. Compounds 7-10 are analogues of Hoogsteen base-triplets.

(η5-Cyclopentadienyl)(η4-di- and tetra-phosphorylcyclobutadiene)cobalt(i): Synthesis, structure, and formation of 1-D coordination polymer

(eta 5-Cyclopentadienyl)(eta 4-di- and tetra-phosphorylcyclobutadiene)cobalt(I) complexes were synthesized by the reaction of mono- and diphosphorylacetylenes with CpCo(CO)2, respectively. The tetraphosphoryl derivative has proved to work as a bis-bidentate ligand affording a one-dimensional coordination polymer with Ce(III).

Ruthenium-catalyzed two-component addition to form 1,3-dienes: optimization, scope, applications, and mechanism

A two component coupling of an allene and an activated olefin to form 1,3-dienes has been developed. The requisite allenes are synthesized either from terminal alkynes by a one carbon homologation using copper(I) iodide, paraformaldehyde, and diisopropylamine, via an ortho ester-Claisen rearrangement from a propargylic alcohol, or via a Wittig type reaction on a ketene generated in situ from an acid chloride. Mono- through tetrasubstituted allenes could be synthesized by these methods. Either cyclopentadienylruthenium(II) cyclooctadiene chloride or cyclopentadienylruthenium(II) trisacetonitrile hexafluorophosphate catalyze the addition reaction. When the former catalyst is employed, an alkyne activator is added to help generate the active catalyst. Through systematic optimization studies, a range of conditions was examined. The optimal conditions consisted of the use of cerium(III) trichloride heptahydrate as a cocatalyst in dimethylformamide as a solvent at 60 degrees C. The reaction was found to be chemoselective, and a wide range of functionality was tolerated, including esters, alcohols, nitriles, and amides. When substituted allenes are used, good selectivity can be obtained with proper substitution. A mechanism involving a ruthenacycle is proposed to account for the selectivity or lack thereof in product formation. With disubstituted allenes, selectivity is obtained when beta-hydrogen elimination is favored from a specific site. In tri- and tetrasubstituted allenes, steric issues concerning the C-C bond forming event appear to be the dominant factor in determining product formation. This process represents a highly atom-economical synthesis of 1,3-dienes in a controlled fashion. The utility of the 1,3-diene products was demonstrated by their use in Diels-Alder reactions to form a variety of cyclic systems including polycyclic structures. This sequence represents a convergent atom economic method for ring formation by a series of simple additions.

Synthesis of 1,1-disubstituted alkenes via a Ru-catalyzed addition

The synthesis of 1,1-disubstituted alkenes typically involves reactions that lack atom economy such as olefination protocols. The use of various ruthenium complexes to effect the addition of terminal alkynes to alkenes is explored as an atom economical strategy. Two new ruthenium complexes have been discovered that effect this reaction at ambient temperature, cyclopentadienylruthenium (triphenylphosphine) camphorsulfonate and cyclopentadienylruthenium tris(acetonitrile) hexafluorophosphate. Using these complexes as catalysts, reactions proceed at ambient temperature in acetone or DMF, respectively. Regioselectivity favoring the formation of a 1,1-disubstituted over a 1,2-disubstituted alkene typically ranges from 9:1 to >25:1. The reaction demonstrates extraordinary chemoselectivity-even di- and trisubstituted alkenes such as present in the products do not compete with the starting monosubstituted alkene. Free hydroxyl groups as well as silyl and PMB ethers are tolerated as are ketones, esters, and amides. The mechanism of the reaction is believed to invoke formation of a metallacyclopentene. To account for the chemo- and regioselectivity, the initial formation of the metallacycle is believed to be reversible. While formation of the 2,5-disubstituted ruthenacyclopentene, which produces the linear product, is believed to be kinetically preferred, the rate of beta-hydrogen elimination from the 2,4-disubstituted ruthenacyclopentene, which produces the branched product, is believed to be faster. Thus, the competition between the rate of beta-hydrogen elimination and cycloreversion rationalizes the results.

Regiocontrolled one-step synthesis of 3,3'-disubstituted 2,2'-bipyridine ligands by cobalt(I)-catalyzed cyclotrimerization

A one-step, regioselective synthesis of annelated symmetric and asymmetric 3,3'-disubstituted 2,2'-bipyridines by cobalt(I)-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloadditions between 5-hexynenitrile and 1,3-diynes is described. In the symmetric case, the total regioselectivity of the first cycloaddition is ensured electronically by the conjugation of the triple bonds, and for aminomethylated diynes that of the second is ensured by the cobalt coordinating to the aminomethyl rather than to the hexynenitrile nitrogen. In the asymmetric case, the first cycloaddition took place chemoselectively, which in the case of bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,3,5-hexatriyne (viewed as a 1,3-diyne) is explained by semiempirical calculation of LUMO coefficients. The copper(I) complex of 6b, constituting the first reported complex of the form ML2 (L is a symmetric 3,3'-disubstituted 2,2'-bipyridine), has been prepared. It had UV/Vis and NMR spectra reflecting the 3-substituent-induced mutual torsion of the bipyridine rings in the cis conformation, as was confirmed by x-ray diffractometric determination. The bipyridine 6c forms the dinuclear complex [Cu2(6c)2(CH3CN)2]2+ in the solid state.

Synthesis and redox behavior of azulene-substituted benzene derivatives and (eta(5)-cyclopentadienyl)[tetra- and di(6-azulenyl)cyclobutadiene]cobalt complexes

1,2-Di(6-azulenyl)tetraphenylbenzenes and (6-azulenyl)pentaphenylbenzenes were synthesized by Diels-Alder reactions of di(6-azulenyl)acetylenes and 6-(phenylethynyl)azulenes with tetraphenylcyclopentadienone. Cobalt-mediated cyclooligomerization of mono- and di(6-azulenyl)acetylenes afforded 1,3,5- and 1,2,4-tri(6-azulenyl)benzene derivatives together with (eta(5)-cyclopentadienyl)[tetra- and di(6-azulenyl)cyclobutadiene]cobalt complexes. The redox behavior of these novel (6-azulenyl)benzene derivatives and [tetra- and di(6-azulenyl)cyclobutadiene]cobalt complexes was examined by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Mono(6-azulenyl)benzenes exhibited a reduction wave upon CV. In contrast, 1,2-di(6-azulenyl)benzenes showed a two-step reduction wave at the similar potential region upon CV, which revealed the formation of a dianion stabilized by 6-azulenyl substituents under electrochemical reduction conditions. Three 6-azulenyl substituents on benzene in a 1,2,4 relationship also increased electron-accepting properties because of the formation of a closed-shell dianionic structure, whereas 1,3,5-tri(6-azulenyl)benzenes were reduced stepwise.

Approaches to the synthesis of (+/-)-strychnine via the cobalt-mediated [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition: rapid assembly of a classic framework

Five synthetic approaches to racemic strychnine (1), with the cobalt-mediated [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of alkynes to indoles as the key step, are described. These include the generation and attempted cyclization of macrocycle 8 and the synthesis of dihydrocarbazoles 15, 22, and 26 and their elaboration to pentacyclic structures via a conjugate addition, dipolar cycloaddition, and propellane-to-spirofused skeletal rearrangement, respectively. Finally, the successful total synthesis of 1 is discussed. The development of a short, highly convergent route (14 steps in the longest linear sequence) is highlighted by the cyclization of enynoylindole 40 with acetylene and the formal intramolecular 1,8-conjugate addition of amine 49 to form pentacycle 50. Numerous attempts toward the formation of the piperidine ring of 1 from vinyl iodide 56 were made and its successful formation via palladium-, nickel-, and radical-mediated processes is described.

A one-pot sequence of Stille and Heck couplings: synthesis of various 1,3,5-hexatrienes and their subsequent 6pi-electrocyclizations

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of 2-bromocyclohex-1-enyl triflates 7 and 11 with a variety of alkenylstannanes occurred chemoselectively at the site of the triflate leaving group to give bromobutadienes which readily underwent Heck reactions with acrylates and styrene. Both steps could be performed in the same flask to give differentially functionalized hexatrienes in up to 88% overall yield. With simple stannanes, the same catalyst precursor could be used for both coupling steps making it possible to perform the whole sequence with only one portion of catalyst. For some of the functionally substituted stannanes, specifically adjusted catalyst systems had to be used. The 1,3,5-hexatrienes obtained were further transformed, in particular the methoxy-substituted compounds 14a-c were converted to bicyclo[4.4.0]decenones 30 (71-97%), bicyclo[4.3.0]nonenones 35 (74-93%), cyclodecynone 37a (47%), and cyclononynone 39a (15%). Thermal electrocyclizations of the other hexatrienes gave tetrahydronaphthalines 31 (60-61%), the tricyclic lactone 32 (72-75%) and decahydrophenanthrene 33 (75 %) in good yields.

Study on the reactivity of the alkene component in ruthenium-catalyzed [2 + 2] cycloadditions between an alkene and an alkyne. Part 1

[reaction: see text] The ruthenium-catalyzed [2 + 2] cycloadditions of 7-substituted norbornadienes with an alkyne have been investigated. The cycloadditions were found to be highly regio- and stereoselective, giving only the anti-exo cycloadducts as the single regio- and stereoisomers in good yields. The results on the relative rate of different 7-substituted norbornadienes in the Ru-catalyzed [2 + 2] cycloadditions with an alkyne indicated that the reactivity of the alkene component decreases dramatically as the alkene becomes more electron deficient.

Cobalt-catalyzed alkyne-nitrile cyclotrimerization to form pyridines in aqueous solution

A new, water-soluble cobalt(I) catalyst has been used in the aqueous, chemospecific, cyclotrimerization of one nitrile with two alkynes for the synthesis of highly functionalized pyridines. Several different functional groups are well incorporated in this transformation, including unprotected alcohols, ketones, and amines. Double isotopic crossover data, as well as nitrile dependence on the rate of product formation, suggest associative rate-determining coordination of the nitrile.

Nickel-catalyzed intermolecular domino reactions

Nickel-catalyzed multiple-component reactions are a promising new type of domino reaction. For instance, a variety of starting materials such as alkenes, alkynes, and unsaturated carbonyl compounds can be connected with high selectivity under reasonably mild conditions. These reactions provide a new route to synthetically important key compounds including dienes, enynes, enol silyl ethers, and carbocycles. Furthermore, an asymmetric version of the reaction is successful. Thus, intermolecular domino reactions should be important reactions for years to come.