A new allenic Pauson-Khand cycloaddition for the preparation of α-methylene cyclopentenones

A Density Functional Theory Study on the Cobalt-Mediated Intramolecular Pauson–Khand Reaction of Enynes Containing a Vinyl Fluoride Moiety

The Co2(CO)8-mediated intramolecular Pauson–Khand reaction (PKR) is an effective method for constructing polycyclic structures. Recently, our group reported a series of this type of reaction involving fluorinated enynes that proceed with reasonable reaction rates and yields. However, mechanistic studies involving these fluorinated derivatives in intramolecular PKR are scarce. In this study, density functional theory calculations are used to clarify the mechanism and reactivity of enynes containing a vinyl fluoride moiety for this reaction. In agreement with previous studies, alkene insertion is considered to be the rate-determining step for the overall Pauson–Khand reaction of enynes containing a vinyl fluoride moiety. The effect of the substituent on the Co2(CO)8-mediated intramolecular Pauson–Khand reaction has also been investigated. When introducing heteroatoms as tethering units, the fluorinated enynes exhibited lower reactivity than the malonate homologues, whereas the use of a sulfur-based tether was unsuccessful. This computational study provides detailed information about the PKR mechanism and transition-state structures, and the results are validated with previous experimental results.

Evolution of Pauson-Khand Reaction: Strategic Applications in Total Syntheses of Architecturally Complex Natural Products (2016–2020)

Metal-mediated cyclizations are important transformations in a natural product total synthesis. The Pauson-Khand reaction, particularly powerful for establishing cyclopentenone-containing structures, is distinguished as one of the most attractive annulation processes routinely employed in synthesis campaigns. This review covers Co, Rh, and Pd catalyzed Pauson-Khand reaction and summarizes its strategic applications in total syntheses of structurally complex natural products in the last five years. Additionally, the hetero-Pauson-Khand reaction in the synthesis of heterocycles will also be discussed. Focusing on the panorama of organic synthesis, this review highlights the strategically developed Pauson-Khand reaction in fulfilling total synthetic tasks and its synthetic attractiveness is aimed to be illustrated.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Pauson-Khand-Type Cyclization of 1,5-Allene-Alkynes: A Chirality Transfer Strategy for Optically Active Bicyclic Ketones

An efficient chirality transfer in the [RhCl(CO)₂ ]₂ -catalyzed [2+2+1] cyclization of optically active axially chiral 1,3-disubstituted allenynes with CO to access optically active bicyclopentenone compounds has been developed. The distal C=C bond of allenes reacted with the alknye unit and CO to afford [4.3.0]-bicyclic products with high ee values under mild reaction conditions with an excellent selectivity.

Natural product syntheses via carbonylative cyclizations

This review summarizes the application of various transition metal-catalyzed/mediated carbonylative cyclization reactions in natural product total synthesis.

Recent Advances in the Pauson-Khand Reaction

The Pauson-Khand [2+2+1] cycloaddition of alkynes, alkenes, and carbon monoxide has been a vibrant area of research for more than 40 years. This review highlights recent achievements in the Pauson-Khand reaction, particularly in catalytic and asymmetric variants. Discussion of regioselectivity and advances in substrate scope is also presented.

Rh(I)-catalyzed Pauson-Khand-type cycloaddition reaction of ene-vinylidenecyclopropanes with carbon monoxide (CO)

An intramolecular Pauson-Khand type cycloaddition reaction of ene-vinylidenecyclopropanes with carbon monoxide has been established by using [Rh(COD)Cl](2) as the catalyst. The reaction was found to be highly efficient in solvents of 1,2-dichloroethane and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane to give excellent yields of 90-99%. The reaction provides easy access to a series of fused 6,5-ring structures containing spiro-cyclopropane units that are useful for drug design and development. A mechanism of this cycloaddition process has been proposed accounting for structures of resulting products that were unambiguously assigned by X-ray diffractional analysis.

Allene-alkyne cross-coupling for stereoselective synthesis of substituted 1,4-dienes and cross-conjugated trienes

Titanium-mediated cross-coupling of allenic alcohols with alkynes has been investigated. Divergent reaction pathways were discovered that provide either stereodefined 1,4-dienes or substituted cross-conjugated trienes. In short, allene substitution plays a critical role in the determination of reaction pathway.

An alkoxide-directed alkyne-allene cross-coupling for stereoselective synthesis of 1,4-dienes

A titanium alkoxide-mediated convergent coupling between internal alkynes and allenes is described for the regio- and stereocontrolled synthesis of substituted acyclic 1,4-dienes.

GaCl3-Catalyzed Allenyne Cycloisomerizations to Allenenes

Cycloisomerizations of allenynes to allenenes have been studied in the presence of catalytic amounts of [Au(PPh3)]SbF6 in dichloromethane or GaCl3 in toluene. Both catalytic systems are quite effective for terminal 1,6-allenynes. However, they showed different reactivities toward allenynes with di-substituents at the allenic terminal carbon. For the GaCl3-catalyzed reactions, allenenes were obtained in reasonable to high yields. However, for a Au(I)-catalyzed reaction, a triene was obtained in a poor yield. Thus, GaCl3 serves as an effective catalyst for the cycloisomerization of allenynes bearing a terminal alkyne to give cyclic allenenes in reasonable to high yields.

Heterocyclic α-Alkylidene Cyclopentenones Obtained via a Pauson−Khand Reaction of Amino Acid Derived Allenynes. A Scope and Limitation Study Directed toward the Preparation of a Tricyclic Pyrrole Library

The synthesis of a novel class of tricyclic pyrroles has been accomplished by using a Pauson-Khand/Stetter/Paal-Knorr reaction sequence. Full details of the Pauson-Khand reaction of amino acid tethered allenynes 4a-e and 9a-d are disclosed. The study of this reaction led to the discovery of an unprecedented substituent effect on the diastereoselectivity of the Mo(CO)6 mediated allenic Pauson-Khand reaction. It was found that amino acid tethered allenynes with aromatic side chains afford alpha-alkylidene cyclopentenones with the opposite diastereoselectivity compared to those with aliphatic side chains. This effect has been attributed to complexation of the metal mediator to the aromatic ring in the substrate. Furthermore, an isomerization of one of the diastereomers of the alpha-alkylidene cyclopentenones was encountered, leading to eventual decomposition. The stable diastereomers were found to react well in the Stetter reaction leading to 1,4-diketones that were converted to pyrroles. The observation that the first generation of 2-alkyl-substituted pyrroles was unstable led to a second generation of 2-carboxamide pyrroles with sufficient stability for biological tests which are in progress.

A DFT-Based Theoretical Investigation of the Mechanism of the PtCl2-Mediated Cycloisomerization of Allenynes

The mechanism of Pt(II)-catalyzed intramolecular cycloisomerization of allenyne systems has been extensively investigated by DFT calculations. Different mechanistic schemes have been proposed and discussed, including the Alder-ene reaction. The free energy results suggest that the kinetically preferred reaction pathway for precursors that are tri- and tetrasubstituted on the allene moiety should proceed by a five-step mechanism. This would involve formation of a platina(IV)cyclopentene intermediate by selective engagement of the external pi bond of the allene, which would undergo regioselective beta-H elimination from the equatorially disposed methyl group. A metal-induced H migration leads to a second octahedral Pt(IV)-chelate complex, which would yield the expected bicyclic system through an intramolecular migratory insertion step. Therefore, depending on the conformation of the initial eta(4)-reactant complex for trisubstituted patterns, two possible intermediates can be formed that would evolve through different paths. In these cases, the regio- and stereochemical outcomes predicted by the mechanistic scheme proposed agree with experimental data. Substituted precursors on the alkyne moiety follow a distinct, four-step, mechanism also involving an oxidative cyclometalation process to an octahedral Pt(IV) intermediate complex. Theoretical results reveal the kinetic preference for beta-H elimination from the allylic group rather than from the gem-dimethyl group, which should account for the observed regioselectivity.

The First Total Synthesis of 15-Deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 and the Unambiguous Assignment of the C14 Stereochemistry

[reaction: see text] The first total synthesis of 15-deoxy-Delta12,14-prostaglandin J2 is reported. The highly unsaturated cyclopentenone prostaglandin was obtained via a silicon-tethered allenic [2 + 2 + 1] cycloaddition reaction developed in our group. In addition, the stereochemistry at C14 has been assigned unambiguously.

Phenylsulfonyl ene-allenes as efficient precursors to bicyclic systems via intramolecular [2 + 2]-cycloaddition reactions

Various phenylsulfonyl allene derivatives were prepared with double bonds tethered either to the alpha-position or the gamma-position of the allene. These substrates underwent a highly regio- and stereospecific thermal [2 + 2]-cycloaddition across the nonactivated cumulene double bond, forming distal cycloadducts (i.e., 57) in the case of alpha-tethered allenes and proximal adducts (i.e., 25) in the case of gamma-tethered allenes. The mechanistic rationale for the observed stereospecificity involves initial diradical formation, followed by a rapid ring closure to the more stable cis-fused ring system. The tether may be equipped with heteroatoms, allowing for the formation of fused heterocycles (e.g., 61), and the cycloaddition can be facilitated by the introduction of sterically bulky groups and/or by conformational rigidity to the tether. Other modes of cyclization were observed in the presence of sodium benzenesulfinate or Lewis acids, in which cases polar mechanisms prevail. The chemoselectivity is reversed for [4 + 2]-cycloadditions, which prefer instead to engage the vinyl sulfone moiety, independent of whether the tether is attached to the alpha- or gamma-position of the allene.

The synthesis of a dicyclopenta[a,e]pentalene via a molybdenum hexacarbonyl-mediated tandem allenic Pauson-Khand reaction

An approach to the 14pi annulene has been developed, by employing the molybdenum hexacarbonyl-mediated tandem allenic Pauson-Khand reaction as a key step. A di-triisopropylsilyl substituted dicyclopenta[a,e]pentalene was synthesized. This 14pi annulene showed some electronic delocalization, which was not observed in previous cases.