Domino reactions of amidines with methyl 2-chloro-2-cyclopropylideneacetate as an efficient access to cyclobutene-annelated pyrimidinones

Construction of 1,2-dihydro-1,3,5-triazines via reactions involving amidines

1,2-Dihydro-1,3,5-triazine compounds were synthesized through three sets of reactions of amidines with, respectively, paraformaldehyde, aldehydes and N-arylnitrones under different conditions. The catalysts used in these three reactions were Cu(OAc)₂, ZnI₂ and CuCl₂·2H₂O, respectively. Most of the substrates tested for these reactions provided the target products in moderate to good yields. In the reactions involving paraformaldehyde, Cu(OAc)₂ also accelerated the release of formaldehyde from paraformaldehyde during the catalytic reaction process. In the case of the reactions involving nitrones, CuCl₂·2H₂O not only catalyzed the normal progress of the main reaction, but also promoted the reaction of nitrones to produce nitroso compounds and aldehydes.

Ring-Opening Cyclization of Alkylidenecyclopropyl Ketones with Amines. An Efficient Synthesis of 2,3,4-Trisubstituted Pyrroles

An efficient synthesis of 2,3,4-trisubstituted pyrroles via intermolecular cyclization of alkylidenecyclopropyl ketones with amines was observed. The addition of anhydrous MgSO4 improved the yields of the products 3. A possible mechanism involving the distal cleavage of the C-C bond of cyclopropane ring was proposed.

An Efficient Stereoselective Synthesis of 4,5-trans-1,5-cis-3-Oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-2-ones via the Iodolactonization of Alkylidenecyclopropyl Esters

[reaction: see text] A highly stereoselective iodolactonization of alkylidenecyclopropyl esters with iodine or N-iodosuccinimide (NIS) in aqueous CH3CN to afford 4,5-trans-1,5-cis-3-oxabicyclo-[3.1.0]hexane-2-ones is described. The reaction is very general, accommodating a wide range of substituents. A plausible mechanism that explains the essential role of water in this reaction is proposed.

Palladium-Catalyzed Isomerization of Methylenecyclopropanes in Acetic Acid

[reaction: see text] Pd(PPh3)4-catalyzed isomerization of MCPs 1 in acetic acid proceeds smoothly at 80 degrees C in toluene to give the corresponding 1-substituted or 1,1-disubstituted dienes 2 in good to excellent yields under mild conditions. The plausible mechanism has been disclosed on the basis of a deuterium-labeling experiment.

Novel tunable CuX(2)-mediated cyclization reaction of cyclopropylideneacetic acids and esters for the facile synthesis of 4-halomethyl-2(5H)-furanones and 4-halo-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-ones

[reaction: see text] A mixture of cyclopropylideneacetic acids (or esters) and CuBr(2) (or CuI/I(2)) in aqueous acetonitrile afforded 4-substituted 2(5H)-furanones or 3,4-substituted 5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-ones in moderate to good yields. The selectivity of the reaction greatly depended on the reaction temperature.