Photochemical reaction of benzoyltrimethylsilane with substituted phenylsilanes

Functionalized Cyclopentenes via the Formal [4+1] Cycloaddition of Photogenerated Siloxycarbenes from Acyl Silanes

This work describes the first formal cycloaddition reaction of photogenerated nucleophilic carbenes derived from acylsilanes with electrophilic dienes. The resulting transient donor-acceptor cyclopropane rearranges to its stable and highly functionalized cyclopentene isomer in an unprecedented metal-free process. The cyclopropanation-vinyl cyclopropane rearrangement sequence was corroborated by computational calculations. The cyclopropane formation corresponds to a higher energetic barrier, and the vinylcyclopropane-cyclopentene rearrangement proceeds through different mechanisms, although of comparable energies, depending on the stereochemistry of the cyclopropane.

Visible-Light-Induced In Situ Generation of Fischer-Type Copper Carbene Complexes from Acylsilanes and Its Application to Catalytic [4 + 1] Cycloaddition with Siloxydienes

A novel methodology for in situ generation of Fischer-type metal-carbene complexes was developed. Photoirradiation to a mixture of an acylsilane and a cationic copper complex cleanly gave a Fischer-type copper-siloxycarbene complex, which was detected by spectroscopic methods. This carbene complex reacted with siloxydienes in a [4 + 1] cycloaddition manner to give cyclopentene derivatives. It is noteworthy that this reaction proceeds with a catalytic amount of copper through in situ generation of a Fischer-type copper-siloxycarbene complex intermediate.

Visible-Light-Induced Cycloaddition of α-Ketoacylsilanes with Imines: Facile Access to β-Lactams

We report the synthesis of β-lactams from α-ketoacylsilanes and imines, which proceeds via a formal [2+2] photochemical cycloaddition with in situ generation of siloxyketene. This mild and operationally simple reaction proceeds in an atom-economic fashion with broad substrate scope, including aldimines, ketimines, hydrazones, and fused nitrogen heterocycles, affording a variety of important β-lactams with satisfactory diastereoselectivities in most cases. This reaction also features good functional-group tolerance, facile scalability and product diversification. Experimental and computational studies suggest that α-ketoacylsilanes can serve as photochemical precursors by engaging in a 1,3 silicon shift to the distal carbonyl group.