Construction of Bridged Aza- and Oxa-[n.2.1] Skeletons via an Intramolecular Formal [3+2] Cycloaddition of Aziridines and Epoxides with Electron-Deficient Alkenes

An intramolecular formal [3+2] cycloaddition of activated aziridines and epoxides with electron-deficient alkene has been developed for the general and efficient construction of bridged aza- and oxa-[n.2.1] (n = 3 or 4) skeletons. This strategy can be efficiently promoted by lithium iodide. To demonstrate its potential, the intramolecular formal [3+2] cycloaddition was used to access the important intermediate of homoepiboxidine.

Highly efficient construction of an oxa-[3.2.1]octane-embedded 5-7-6 tricyclic carbon skeleton and ring-opening of the bridged ring via C-O bond cleavage

We report herein a highly efficient strategy for construction of a bridged oxa-[3.2.1]octane-embedded 5–7–6 tricyclic carbon skeleton through [3 + 2] IMCC (intramolecular [3 + 2] cross-cycloaddition), and the substituents and/or stereochemistries on C-4, C-6, C-7 and C-10 fully match those in the rhamnofolane, tigliane and daphnane diterpenoids. Furthermore, ring-opening of the bridged oxa-[3.2.1]octane via C–O bond cleavage was also successfully achieved.

We reported a highly efficient construction of an oxa-[3.2.1]octane-embedded 5–7–6 tricyclic carbon skeleton with a full match of the substituents and stereochemistries on C-4/-6/-7/-10 with those in the rhamnofolane/tigliane/daphnane diterpenoids.

A novel type of donor-acceptor cyclopropane with fluorine as the donor: (3 + 2)-cycloadditions with carbonyls

gem-Difluorocyclopropane diester is disclosed as a new type of donor–acceptor cyclopropane, which smoothly participates in (3 + 2)-cycloadditions with various aldehydes and ketones. This work represents the first application of gem-difluorine substituents as an unconventional donor group for activating cyclopropane substrates in catalytic cycloaddition reactions. With this method, a wide variety of densely functionalized gem-difluorotetrahydrofuran skeletons, which are otherwise difficult to prepare, could be readily assembled in high yields under mild reaction conditions. Computational studies show that the cleavage of the C–C bond between the difluorine and diester moieties occurs upon a S_N2-type attack of the carbonyl oxygen.

A new type of donor–acceptor cyclopropane with gem-difluorine as an unconventional donor group undergoes (3 + 2)-cycloadditions with various aldehydes/ketones, affording densely functionalized gem-difluorotetrahydrofurans.

Lewis-Acid-Catalyzed (3+2)-Cycloadditions of Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropanes with Thioketenes

The reactivity of donor-acceptor (D-A) cyclopropanes towards thioketenes was investigated. In a (3+2)-cycloaddition using Sc(OTf)3 as a Lewis acidic catalyst, the corresponding exocyclic thioenol ethers (2-methylidene tetrahydrothiophenes) were formed in moderate to good yields. Unsymmetrical thioketenes provided E/Z mixtures at the double bond, with the Z isomer being preferred.

Cycloadditions of Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropanes and -butanes using S=N-Containing Reagents: Access to Cyclic Sulfinamides, Sulfonamides, and Sulfinamidines

We present (3+2)- and (4+2)-cycloadditions of donor-acceptor (D-A) cyclopropanes and cyclobutanes with N-sulfinylamines and a sulfur diimide, along with a one-pot, two-step strategy for the formal insertion of HNSO2 into D-A cyclopropanes. These are rare examples of cycloadditions with D-A cyclopropanes and cyclobutanes whereby the 2π component consists of two different heteroatoms, thus leading to five- and six-membered rings containing adjacent heteroatoms.

Catalytic (3 + 2) annulation of donor-acceptor aminocyclopropane monoesters and indoles

The efficient catalytic activation of donor-acceptor aminocyclopropanes lacking the commonly used diester acceptor is reported here in a (3 + 2) dearomative annulation with indoles. Bench-stable tosyl-protected aminocyclopropyl esters were converted into cycloadducts in 46-95% yields and up to 95 : 5 diastereomeric ratio using catalytic amounts of triethylsilyl triflimide. Tricyclic indoline frameworks containing four stereogenic centers including all-carbon quaternary centers were obtained.

Photo/N-Heterocyclic Carbene Co-catalyzed Ring Opening and γ-Alkylation of Cyclopropane Enal

An unprecedented photo/NHC-co-catalyzed ring-opening C-C bond cleavage of cyclopropane enal and the following γ-alkylation with a halogenated compound via radicals were established, affording the corresponding γ-alkylated α,β-unsaturated esters in moderate to good yields.

Ring-Opening 1,3-Aminochalcogenation of Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropanes: A Three-Component Approach

A 1,3-aminothiolation was realized by reacting 2-substituted cyclopropane 1,1-dicarboxylates with sulfonamides and N-(arylthio)succinimides. Under Sn(OTf)2 catalysis the transformation proceeded smoothly to the corresponding ring-opened products bearing the sulfonamide in the 1-position next to the donor and the arylthio residue in the 3-position next to the acceptor. The procedure was extended to the corresponding selenium analogues by employing N-(phenylseleno)succinimides as an electrophilic selenium source.

Chemoselective asymmetric dearomative [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of purines with aminocyclopropanes

Chemoselective asymmetric [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of purines with aminocyclopropanes for the dearomatization of purines have been successfully developed.

A Strategy toward Icetexane Natural Products

Icetexane diterpenoids are richly complex polycyclic natural products that have been described with a variety of biological activities. We report here a general synthetic approach toward the 6-7-6 tricyclic core structure of these interesting synthetic targets based on a two-step enolate alkylation and ring-closing metathesis reaction sequence.

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Cyclocitrinol

The first and asymmetric total synthesis of cyclocitrinol, an unusual C25 steroid, has been accomplished in a linear sequence of 18 steps from commercially available compound 11. The synthetically challenging bicyclo[4.4.1] A/B ring system with a strained bridgehead (anti-Bredt) double bond of cyclocitrinol was constructed efficiently and diastereoselectively via a type II intramolecular [5 + 2] cycloaddition.

Computational study on GaCl3-mediated reactions of donor–acceptor cyclopropanes with aromatic aldehydes: mechanism and role of GaCl3 and aldehydes

The mechanism and role of GaCl₃ and aldehydes for the GaCl₃-mediated reaction of donor–acceptor (D–A) cyclopropanes are clarified through our calculations.

Dicarabrones A and B, a pair of new epimers dimerized from sesquiterpene lactones via a [3 + 2] cycloaddition from Carpesium abrotanoides

Dicarabrones A and B, a pair of epimers possessing a new skeleton featuring a cyclopentane ring connecting two sesquiterpene lactone units, were isolated from the whole plant of Carpesium abrotanoides L. Their full structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic data and were further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. They were presumably biosynthesized from two sesquiterpenoid monomers through a [3 + 2] cycloaddition. Dicarabrones A and B showed moderate effects on HL-60 cells with IC50 values of 9.1 and 8.2 μM, respectively.