Evidence that naphthocyclobutene, phenanthrodicyclobutene, and anthrodicyclobutene derivatives are not contaminated by their cyclobutene ring-opened isomers

Hypervalent Iodonium Alkynyl Triflate Generated Phenylcyanocarbene and Its Reactivity with Aromatic Systems

Phenylcyanocarbene was generated by the reaction of azide with a hypervalent iodonium alkynyl triflate and reacted in situ with 21 different carbocyclic and heterocyclic aromatic compounds. These reactions led to more complex products that frequently underwent subsequent rearrangements. The reactivity was further explored in a mechanistic study to ascertain the chemoselectivity and stereospecificity.

A metal-free one-pot synthesis of benzo[c]chromen-6-ones from 3,4-dichlorocoumarins and butadienes using tandem photo-thermal-photo reactions

An efficient, simple and versatile synthesis of biologically valuable benzo[c]chromen-6-ones is achieved using a tandem photo-thermal-photo reaction sequence starting from 3,4-dichlorocoumarins and a 1,3-butadiene. In this concise one-pot protocol, neither metal catalyst nor peroxide promoter is needed and the products can be purified through simple recrystallization in most cases. The synthesis consists of a reaction sequence of photo-induced [4 + 2] and [2 + 2] cycloadditions, silica gel promoted elimination of HCl and electrocyclic cyclobutene ring opening followed by a photo-induced 6π electrocyclization. The reactions proceed well with a range of dichlorocoumarins and some typical butadienes to provide the corresponding annulated products in 70-80% yield.

Ultralong carbon-carbon bonds in dispirobis(10-methylacridan) derivatives with an acenaphthene, pyracene, or dihydropyracylene skeleton

Acenapthalene, pyracene, and dihydropyracylene attached to two units of spiroacridan are a novel class of hexaphenylethane (HPE) derivatives that have an ultralong Csp3-Csp3 bond (1.77-1.70 A). These sterically challenged molecules were cleanly prepared by C-C bond formation through two-electron reduction from the less-hindered dications. These ultralong bonds were realized based on several molecular-design concepts including enhanced "front strain" through "multiclamping" by means of fusing or bridging aryl groups in the HPE molecule. The lengths of these ultralong bonds and their relation to the conformation (torsional angle) were also validated by means of theoretical calculations. Bond-fission experiments revealed that the bonds are more easily cleaved than standard covalent bonds to produce the corresponding dication upon oxidation with an increase in the length of the C-C bond.