New methods for the stereoselective synthesis of 2-hydroxy-3,4-dienoates and functionalized 2,5-dihydrofurans

One-pot synthesis of multi-substituted conjugated dienones by trapping allene carbocations with active ylides

A Rh(II)/boron reagent co-catalyzed unprecedent transformation was established for the rapid construction of multi-substituted conjugated dienones under mild conditions by trapping allene carbocations with oxonium ylides from simple starting points in yields up to 85%. Two CC double bonds, one C-C and one C-O single bond were built in this one-pot reaction. The diversity-oriented strategy was also established to synthesize alkyne ether and dihydrofuran derivatives by a substrate-depended fashion.

Gold-catalyzed cycloisomerization of trifluoromethylated allenols: sustainability and mechanistic studies

Trifluoromethyl-substituted α-allenols are cyclized to the corresponding 2,5-dihydrofurans in the presence of neutral or cationic gold catalysts.

Gold-catalyzed allene cycloisomerization for pyrrole synthesis: towards highly fluorinated BODIPY dyes

A novel synthetic strategy toward highly fluorinated BODIPY dyes with exceptional photostabilities relying on sustainable gold catalysis has been developed. A key to the tailored pyrrole precursors is the gold catalysis performed in ionic liquids as the reaction medium, allowing a facile recycling of the catalysts. The dyes prepared are well-matching with the spectral windows of popular rhodamine dyes and possess high brightness while showing a distinctly higher photostability than the rhodamines especially in aprotic solvents.

Bifunctionalized allenes. Part XV. Synthesis of 2,5-dihydro-1,2-oxaphospholes by electrophilic cyclization reaction of phosphorylated α-hydroxyallenes

This paper discusses a reaction of phosphorylated α-hydroxyallenes with protected or unprotected hydroxy groups involving 5-endo-trig cyclizations. Various electrophilic reagents such as sulfuryl chloride, bromine, benzenesulfenyl and benzeneselenenyl chlorides have been applied. The paper describes the reaction of 1-hydroxyalkyl-1,2-dienephosphonates with electrophiles that produces 2-methoxy-2-oxo-2,5-dihydro-1,2-oxaphospholes due to the participation of the phosphonate neighbouring group in the cyclization. On the other hand, (1E)-alk-1-en-1-yl phosphine oxides were prepared as mixtures with 2,5-dihydro-1,2-oxaphosphol-2-ium halides in a ratio of about 1:2 by chemo-, regio, and stereoselective electrophilic addition to the C(2)-C(3)-double bond in the allene moiety and subsequent concurrent attack of the external (halide anion) and internal (phosphine oxide group) nucleophiles. The paper proposes a possible mechanism that involves cyclization and additional reactions of the phosphorylated α-hydroxyallenes.

Cyclization reactions of bis(allenes) for the synthesis of polycarbo(hetero)cycles

This review presents the reactivity of a variety of substituted bis(allenes) under different reaction conditions, showing the high number of complex structures that can be obtained.

Scope and mechanistic analysis of the enantioselective synthesis of allenes by rhodium-catalyzed tandem ylide formation/[2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement between donor/acceptor carbenoids and propargylic alcohols

Rhodium-catalyzed reactions of tertiary propargylic alcohols with methyl aryl- and styryldiazoacetates result in tandem reactions, consisting of oxonium ylide formation followed by [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement. This process competes favorably with the standard O-H insertion reaction of carbenoids. The resulting allenes are produced with high enantioselectivity (88-98% ee) when the reaction is catalyzed by the dirhodium tetraprolinate complex, Rh(2)(S-DOSP)(4). Kinetic resolution is possible when racemic tertiary propargylic alcohols are used as substrates. Under the kinetic resolution conditions, the allenes are formed with good diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity (up to 6.1:1 dr, 88-93% ee), and the unreacted alcohols are enantioenriched to 65-95% ee. Computational studies reveal that the high asymmetric induction is obtained via an organized transition state involving a two-point attachment: ylide formation between the alcohol oxygen and the carbenoid and hydrogen bonding of the alcohol to a carboxylate ligand. The 2,3-sigmatropic rearrangement proceeds through initial cleavage of the O-H bond to generate an intermediate with close-lying open-shell singlet, triplet, and closed-shell singlet electronic states. This intermediate would have significant diradical character, which is consistent with the observation that the 2,3-sigmatropic rearrangement is favored with donor/acceptor carbenoids and more highly functionalized propargylic alcohols.

Gold(III) chloride catalyzed cyclization of alpha-hydroxyallenes to 2,5-dihydrofurans

[reaction: see text] Functionalized alpha-hydroxyallenes 1 were smoothly converted into the corresponding 2,5-dihydrofurans 2 by using 5-10 mol % of gold(III) chloride as catalyst. This mild and efficient cyclization method can be applied to alkyl- and alkenyl-substituted allenes at room temperature, furnishing tri- and tetrasubstituted dihydrofurans in good to excellent chemical yields and with complete axis to center chirality transfer.