Intramolecular diels-alder reaction with furan diene. A new synthesis of 11-keto steroids

First total synthesis of rhodexin A

An efficient total synthesis of rhodexin A (1) is reported. An initial inverse-electron-demand Diels-Alder reaction of the acyldiene 6 with the silyl enol ether 7 gave the cycloadduct 8 with the required 4 contiguous stereocenters in a single step. This compound was then transformed into the tetracyclic enone 16, which was converted to rhodexin A (1).

Diels-Alder route to steroids and associated structures

The Diels-Alder reaction continues to dominate the developments in steroid synthesis. A review of literature on the Diels-Alder route to steroids is presented.

Halo Substituent Effects on Intramolecular Cycloadditions Involving Furanyl Amides

Intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions involving a series of N-alkenyl-substituted furanyl amides were investigated. Stable functionalized oxanorbornenes were formed in high yield upon heating at 80-110 degrees C. The cycloaddition reactions include several bromo-substituted furanyl amides, and these systems were found to proceed at a much faster rate and in higher yield than without substitution. This effect was observed by incorporating a halogen in the 3- or 5-position of the furan ring and appears to be general. The origin of increased cycloaddition rates for halo-substituted furans has been investigated with quantum mechanical calculations. The success of these reactions is attributed to increases in reaction exothermicities; this both decreases activation enthalpies and increases barriers to retrocycloadditions. Halogen substitution on furan increases reactant energy and stabilizes the product, which is attributed to the preference of electronegative halogens to be attached to a more highly alkylated and therefore more electropositive framework.

Stereochemistry of intramolecular Diels–Alder furan (IMDAF) reactions of furyl-substituted chiral ethanolamides

This paper describes the stereoselective outcome of the intramolecular Diels-Alder furan (IMDAF) reaction of substituted (2S,3S)-ethanolamides 9-13, which were synthesised from a furyl substituted cyanohydrin. The latter was obtained from 2-furaldehyde with high enantioselectivity by an oxynitrilase catalysed addition of hydrogen cyanide. The stereochemistry of the IMDAF products was shown to be dependent on the size of the ethanolamide substituents R. Small substituents (H, Me, CN) gave exclusively exo-cycloaddition, whereas more bulky ones (Ph, Et) gave both evo- and endo-addition, the larger phenyl substituent giving a high endo-exo-ratio.

Synthesis of azapolycyclic systems via the intramolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition chemistry of 2-(alkylthio)-5-amidofurans

A series of 2-(methylthio)-5-amidofurans containing tethered unsaturation were prepared via the reaction of dimethyl(methylthio)sulfonium tetrafluoroborate (DMTSF) with beta-alkoxy-gamma-dithiane amides 13-16 and 27-32 in 40-70% yield. Thermolysis of these furans resulted in an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction (IMDAF). With the exception of 45 and 46, the oxa-bridged cycloadducts could not be isolated but immediately underwent a 1,2-methylthio shift to form bicyclic lactams in 60-100% yield. It was determined that incorporation of the amido carbonyl in the tether allowed the IMDAF reaction to proceed at a lower temperature. A dramatic example of this is seen in the IMDAF reaction of furan 35, in which the presence of an amido carbonyl as part of the dienophile tether, as opposed to the annealed ring (66) or the lack of a carbonyl (67), was necessary for the cycloaddition to occur. Furan 37, annealed to an azepine ring, underwent the IMDAF reaction at or below room temperature. To identify structural features that promote the IMDAF reaction, a computational study was undertaken. Ground-state and transition-state energies were calculated for furans 17, 33, 37, and 64 using the Becke 3LYP/6-31G model. The theoretical results were in good agreement with those observed. The results indicate that the incorporation of an amide carbonyl as part of the tether system works to place the dienophile in closer proximity to the furan ring, thereby lowering the activation energy needed to reach the transition state.

Construction of bicyclic tetrahydroisoquinolinones by combination of an IMDAF-ring cleavage reaction of N-allyl-2-furan-2-yl-acetamides

The intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of furanyl amides derived from 2-furylacetic acid has been examined. Substrates containing either an imide or tertiary amide linkage between the furan and the dienophile underwent smooth cycloaddition upon thermolysis. By varying the reaction conditions, either the primary cycloadduct or the ring-opened and acetylated product could be isolated in excellent yield. The stereochemical outcome of the IMDAF cycloaddition has the side arm of the tethered alkenyl group oriented syn with respect to the oxygen bridge. Semi-empirical AM1 calculations show that the exo-cycloadduct is 11 kcal lower in energy than the corresponding endo adduct and, presumably, some of this energy difference is reflected in the transition state for the cycloaddition. The IMDAF reaction of N-allyl-[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenethyl)]-2-furanyl-2-yl-acetamide proceeded in 90% yield upon heating in xylene. The 4+2-cycloadduct undergoes ring-opening on treatment with base and the resulting alcohol was converted into the corresponding benzyl ether. Raney nickel reduction followed by Bischler-Napieralski cyclization furnished the tetracyclic skeleton of the berberine alkaloids.Key words: intramolecular, cycloaddition, Diels-Alder, furanylamide, heterocycle.