Synthesis of bis-spirocyclic derivatives of 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane via cyclopropene cycloadditions to the stable azomethine ylide derived from Ruhemann's purple

A reliable method for the synthesis of bis-spirocyclic derivatives of 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes through the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition (1,3-DC) reactions of cyclopropenes to the stable azomethine ylide - protonated form of Ruhemann's purple (PRP) has been developed. Both 3-substituted and 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropenes reacted with PRP, affording the corresponding bis-spirocyclic 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane cycloadducts in moderate to good yields with high diastereofacial selectivity. Moreover, several unstable 1,2-disubstituted cyclopropenes were successfully trapped by the stable 1,3-dipole under mild conditions. The mechanism of the cycloaddition reactions of cyclopropenes with PRP has been thoroughly studied using density functional theory (DFT) methods at the M11/cc-pVDZ level of theory. The cycloaddition reactions have been found to be HOMOcyclopropene-LUMOylide controlled while the transition-state energies for the reaction of 3-methyl-3-phenylcyclopropene with PRP are fully consistent with the experimentally observed stereoselectivity.

An Experimental and Theoretical Study of the 1,3-Dipolar Cyclo­addition of Alloxan-Derived Azomethine Ylides to Cyclopropenes

A diastereoselective synthesis of biologically interesting spirobarbiturates has been achieved via [3+2] cycloaddition of alloxan-derived azomethine ylides to 3-R-1,2-diphenylcyclopropenes. With this approach, a range of spirobarbiturate-3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes and spirobarbiturate-cyclopropa[a]pyrrolizines were obtained in moderate to good yields with excellent diastereoselectivities. DFT calculations (M11 density functional theory) were carried out to shed light on the molecular mechanism of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of alloxan-derived azomethine ylides to cyclopropenes. The cytotoxic activity of some obtained compounds against human erythroleukemia (K562) cell line was evaluated in vitro by MTS-assay.

Stereo- and Regioselective 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of the Stable Ninhydrin-Derived Azomethine Ylide to Cyclopropenes: Trapping of Unstable Cyclopropene Dipolarophiles

A stereo- and regioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of the stable ninhydrin-derived azomethine ylide [2-(3,4-dihydro-2 H-pyrrolium-1-yl)-1-oxo-1 H-inden-3-olate, DHPO] to differently substituted cyclopropenes has been established. As a result, an efficient synthetic protocol was developed for the preparation of biologically relevant spiro[cyclopropa[ a]pyrrolizine-2,2'-indene] derivatives. DHPO has proved to be an effective trap for such highly reactive and unstable substrates as parent cyclopropene, 1-methylcyclopropene, 1-phenylcyclopropene, and 1-halo-2-phenylcyclopropenes. It has also been found that 3-nitro-1,2-diphenylcyclopropene undergoes a nucleophilic substitution reaction in alcohols and thiols to afford 3-alkoxy- and 3-arylthio-substituted 1,2-diphenylcyclopropenes, which can be captured as corresponding 1,3-dipolar cycloadducts in the presence of DHPO. These new approaches provide a straightforward strategy for the synthesis of functionally substituted cyclopropa[ a]pyrrolizine derivatives. The factors governing regio- and stereoselectivity have been revealed by means of quantum mechanical calculations (M11 density functional theory), including previously unreported N_ylide- H_cyclopropene second-orbital interactions. The outcome of this work contributes to the study of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, as well as enriches chemistry of cyclopropenes and methods for the construction of polycyclic compounds with cyclopropane fragments.