Vicinal di-functionalization of α,β-unsaturated ketones via manganese carbene intermediates: synthesis of γ-acyl-δ-lactones by cascade Michael addition/aldol/transesterification reactions

An Ionic-Radical Approach to Vicinally Functionalized Cyclopentanones and Cyclohexanones

A versatile strategy to access vicinally functionalized cyclopentanones and cyclohexanones is described. It takes advantage of new reagents, α-xanthyl enones, which can be prepared from the reaction of xanthate salts with the corresponding epoxyketones under mild conditions. β-Functionalization of these compounds can be performed by conjugate additions without affecting the xanthate moiety. This significantly expands the pool of xanthate substrates, allowing the synthesis of open chain and fused bicyclic building blocks useful in the synthesis of natural products.

Subtle reactivity patterns of non-heteroatom-substituted manganese alkynyl carbene complexes in the presence of phosphorus probes

The non-heteroatom-substituted manganese alkynyl carbene complexes (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2Mn=C(R)C[triple bond]CR'(3; 3a: R = R'= Ph, 3b: R = Ph, R'= Tol, 3c: R = Tol, R'= Ph) have been synthesised in high yields upon treatment of the corresponding carbyne complexes [eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2Mn[triple bond]CR][BPh4]([2][BPh4]) with the appropriate alkynyllithium reagents LiC[triple bond]CR' (R'= Ph, Tol). The use of tetraphenylborate as counter anion associated with the cationic carbyne complexes has been decisive. The X-ray structures of (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2Mn=C(Tol)C[triple bond]CPh (3c), and its precursor [(eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2Mn=CTol][BPh4]([2b](BPh4]) are reported. The reactivity of complexes toward phosphines has been investigated. In the presence of PPh3, complexes act as a Michael acceptor to afford the zwitterionic sigma-allenylphosphonium complexes (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2MnC(R)=C=C(PPh3)R' (5) resulting from nucleophilic attack by the phosphine on the remote alkynyl carbon atom. Complexes 5 exhibit a dynamic process in solution, which has been rationalized in terms of a fast [NMR time-scale] rotation of the allene substituents around the allene axis; metrical features within the X-ray structure of (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2MnC(Ph)=C=C(PPh3)Tol (5b) support the proposal. In the presence of PMe3, complexes undergo a nucleophilic attack on the carbene carbon atom to give zwitterionic sigma-propargylphosphonium complexes (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2MnC(R)(PMe3)C[triple bond]CR' (6). Complexes 6 readily isomerise in solution to give the sigma-allenylphosphonium complexes (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2MnC(R')=C=C(PMe3)R (7) through a 1,3 shift of the [(eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2Mn] fragment. The nucleophilic attack of PPh2Me on 3 is not selective and leads to a mixture of the sigma-propargylphosphonium complexes (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2MnC(R)(PPh(2)Me)C[triple bond]CR' (9) and the sigma-allenylphosphonium complexes (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2MnC(R)=C=C(PPh(2)Me)R' (10). Like complexes 6, complexes 9 readily isomerize to give the sigma-allenylphosphonium complexes (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2MnC(R')=C=C(PPh2Me)R'). Upon gentle heating, complexes 7, and mixtures of 10 and 10' cyclise to give the sigma-dihydrophospholium complexes (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2MnC=C(R')PMe2CH2CH(R)(8), and mixtures of complexes (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2MnC=C(Ph)PPh2CH2CH(Tol)(11) and (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2MnC=C(Tol)PMe2CH2CH(Ph)(11'), respectively. The reactions of complexes 3 with secondary phosphines HPR(1)(2)(R1= Ph, Cy) give a mixture of the eta2-allene complexes (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2Mn[eta2-{R(1)(2)PC(R)=C=C(R')H}](12), and the regioisomeric eta4-vinylketene complexes [eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)Mn[eta4-{R(1)(2)PC(R)=CHC(R')=C=O}](13) and (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)Mn[eta4-{R(1)(2)PC(R')=CHC(R)=C=O}](13'). The solid-state structure of (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)2Mn[eta2-{Ph2PC(Ph)=C=C(Tol)H}](12b) and (eta5-MeC5H4)(CO)Mn[eta4-{Cy2PC(Ph)=CHC(Ph)=C=O}](13d) are reported. Finally, a mechanism that may account for the formation of the species 12, 13, and 13' is proposed.