Intramolecular palladium catalysed [3+2] cycloadditions of methylenecyclopropanes with acetylenic acceptors

Co-Catalyzed Asymmetric Intramolecular [3+2] Cycloaddition of Yne-Alkylidenecyclopropanes and its Reaction Mechanism

Developing new transition metal-catalyzed asymmetric cycloadditions for the synthesis of five-membered carbocycles (FMCs) is a research frontier in reaction development due to the ubiquitous presence of chiral FMCs in various functional molecules. Reported here is our discovery of a highly enantioselective intramolecular [3+2] cycloaddition of yne-alkylidenecyclopropanes (yne-ACPs) to bicyclo[3.3.0]octadiene and bicyclo[4.3.0]nonadiene molecules using a cheap Co catalyst and commercially available chiral ligand (S)-Xyl-BINAP. This reaction avoids the use of precious Pd and Rh catalysts, which are usually the choices for [3+2] reactions with ACPs. The enantiomeric excess in the present reaction can be up to 92 %. Cationic cobalt(I) species was suggested by experiments as the catalytic species. DFT calculations showed that this [3+2] reaction starts with oxidative cyclometallation of alkyne and ACP, followed by ring opening of the cyclopropyl (CP) group and reductive elimination to form the cycloadduct. This mechanism is different from previous [3+2] reactions of ACPs, which usually start from CP cleavage, not from oxidative cyclization.

Straightforward synthesis of 5-bromopenta-2,4-diynenitrile and its reactivity towards terminal alkynes: a direct access to diene and benzofulvene scaffolds

The high-yielding synthesis of 5-bromopenta-2,4-diynenitrile (BrC5 N) was achieved for the first time. Its reactivity with triisopropylsilylacetylene and triisopropylsilylbutadiyne in the presence of copper and palladium as co-catalysts and diisopropylamine was evaluated. It revealed an unprecedented cascade reaction leading to a diene in one case and to a benzofulvene in the other case, with a unique structure. Both of them were characterized by X-ray crystallography, among other techniques. The mechanism of the reaction leading to the diene was investigated experimentally. Theoretical calculations at the DFT level suggest that the mechanism leading to the benzofulvene relies on a hexa-dehydro Diels-Alder (HDDA)-type of mechanism. This work constitutes an example of an unanticipated reactivity leading to an important increase of chemical complexity.

Selectivity in metal-catalyzed carbon-carbon bond cleavage of alkylidenecyclopropanes

When more complex system leads to simpler reactivity profile; the ring-opening of strained three-membered rings such as methylene- and alkylidenecyclopropanes generally lead to several products. If one starts with more functionalized carbon skeletons, selective reactions are now observed and rationalization as well as synthetic applications are described in this concept article. This methodology could be used to the preparation of challenging structural motifs possessing quaternary carbon stereocenters in acyclic systems.

Palladium-catalyzed [3+2] intramolecular cycloaddition of alk-5-ynylidenecyclopropanes: a rapid, practical approach to bicyclo[3.3.0]octenes

Readily accessible hex-5-ynylidenecyclopropane derivatives cycloisomerize to bicyclic five-membered carbocycles upon heating with catalytic amounts of a palladium complex.

Novel tunable CuX(2)-mediated cyclization reaction of cyclopropylideneacetic acids and esters for the facile synthesis of 4-halomethyl-2(5H)-furanones and 4-halo-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-ones

[reaction: see text] A mixture of cyclopropylideneacetic acids (or esters) and CuBr(2) (or CuI/I(2)) in aqueous acetonitrile afforded 4-substituted 2(5H)-furanones or 3,4-substituted 5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-ones in moderate to good yields. The selectivity of the reaction greatly depended on the reaction temperature.

Theoretical study of the mechanisms of palladation of methylenecyclopropane and [3 + 2] cycloadditions

Palladation of methylenecyclopropane and [3 + 2] cycloaddition with alkenes have been studied theoretically. In palladium complexes of methylenecyclopropane or trimethylenemethane, the eta 2 forms have been shown to be more stable than the palladacyclobutane forms. However, the barrier heights to yield palladacyclobutanes are not very high and the methylene-bridged carbon can be converted to the metal-attached carbon on palladium via a ring-opened transition state, allowing the scrambling of hydrogens in methylenecyclopropane. With respect to the palladium-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of methylenecyclopropane with alkenes, the path via palladacyclobutanes has been demonstrated to be more favorable than the path via an eta 2 complex. These results are discussed by using the paired interaction orbital scheme.