Annelated Cyclobutanes by Fe‐Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of Enyne Acetates

Computational Study of Iron-Catalyzed Intramolecular [2 + 2] Cycloaddition and Cycloisomerization of Enyne Acetates: Mechanism and Selectivity

The mechanism of iron-catalyzed intramolecular [2 + 2] cycloaddition and cycloisomerization of enyne acetates has been investigated with DFT computations. Both mechanisms start the catalytic cycle from the stepwise 1,2-acyloxy migration to afford the iron carbene. The [2 + 2] cycloaddition mechanism involves subsequent key steps of [2 + 2] cycloaddition, 1,2-acyloxy migration, and reductive elimination to generate the azabicyclo [3.2.0] heptane product, with the reductive elimination being the rate-determining step. The cycloisomerization mechanism involves subsequent key steps of [2 + 2] cycloaddition, stepwise 1,4-acyloxy migration to produce the allenylpyrrolidine product, with the 1,4-acyloxy migration being the rate-determining step. Reaction potential energy surfaces for two model substrates that have or do not have alkene-terminal substituents have been investigated and the origins of the selectivities have been disclosed. Moreover, energy profiles with three possible spin states (S_Fe = 0, 1, 2) have been considered. The reaction is suggested to occur mainly on the singlet potential energy surface with a few spin crossovers between singlet and triplet states involved, which indicates that this reaction should have two-state reactivity (TSR).

Iron‐Catalyzed Cycloisomerization and C−C Bond Activation to Access Non‐canonical Tricyclic Cyclobutanes

Cycloisomerizations are powerful skeletal rearrangements that allow the construction of complex molecular architectures in an atom‐economic way. We present here an unusual type of cyclopropyl enyne cycloisomerization that couples the process of a cycloisomerization with the activation of a C−C bond in cyclopropanes. A set of substituted non‐canonical tricyclic cyclobutanes were synthesized under mild conditions using [(Ph₃P)₂Fe(CO)(NO)]BF₄ as catalyst in good to excellent yields with high levels of stereocontrol.

Mechanism and Origins of Enantioselectivity of Cobalt-Catalyzed Intermolecular Hydroacylation/Cyclization of 1,6-Enynes with Aldehydes

Density functional theory calculations were performed to investigate the cobalt-catalyzed intermolecular hydroacylation/cyclization of 1,6-enynes. The computations show that the initial oxidative cyclization constitutes the rate-determining step of the overall reaction....

Copper-Catalyzed Tandem Cross-Coupling/Thermally Promoted [2 + 2] Cycloaddition of 1,6-Enynes and Diazo Compounds To Assemble Methylenecyclobutane-Fused Ring System

An unprecedented copper-catalyzed tandem reaction of 1,6-enynes with diazo compounds via a cross-coupling/[2 + 2] cycloaddition sequence was reported. A library of methylenecyclobutane-fused ring systems including cyclobuta[b]indolines, cyclobuta[b]benzofuran, benzo[b]cyclobuta[d]thiophene, and bicyclo[3.2.0] structures were obtained in moderate to excellent yields under very mild reaction conditions. The reaction exhibited high proximal-regioselectivity and diastereoselectivity. Moreover, 1,6-allenene has proven to be the key intermediate and proceeds via a thermally promoted [2 + 2] cycloaddition in the absence of copper catalyst.

Bicyclic Piperidines via [2 + 2] Photocycloaddition

A synthetic strategy to fused bicyclic piperidines-building blocks for medicinal chemistry-is developed. The key step was an intramolecular [2 + 2]-photocyclization. The photochemical step was performed on a gram scale. Crystallographic analysis of the obtained compounds revealed that they occupy a novel chemical space and can be considered as elongated analogues of 3-substituted piperidines.

On the Use of Iron in Organic Chemistry

Transition metal catalysis in modern organic synthesis has largely focused on noble transition metals like palladium, platinum and ruthenium. The toxicity and low abundance of these metals, however, has led to a rising focus on the development of the more sustainable base metals like iron, copper and nickel for use in catalysis. Iron is a particularly good candidate for this purpose due to its abundance, wide redox potential range, and the ease with which its properties can be tuned through the exploitation of its multiple oxidation states, electron spin states and redox potential. This is a fact made clear by all life on Earth, where iron is used as a cornerstone in the chemistry of living processes. In this mini review, we report on the general advancements in the field of iron catalysis in organic chemistry covering addition reactions, C-H activation, cross-coupling reactions, cycloadditions, isomerization and redox reactions.

Iron(III)-Mediated Bicyclization of 1,2-Allenyl Aryl Ketones: Assembly of Indanone-Fused Polycyclic Scaffolds and Dibenzo[a,e]pentalene Derivatives

The rapid construction of three-dimensional fused carbocycles is a key challenge in synthetic chemistry. Herein, an unprecedented and practical tandem Nazarov/oxidative umpolung 4π-ring closure of readily available 1,2-allenyl aryl ketones mediated by iron(III) chloride has been developed, furnishing a new family of indanone-fused molecular architectures in moderate to excellent yields. The indanone-containing blocks can be efficiently converted to unsymmetrical dibenzo[a,e]pentalenes. Significantly, divergent synthetic applications have been achieved to provide densely functionalized polycyclic arrays.