Phenanthrenes/dihydrophenanthrenes: the selectivity controlled by different benzynes and allenes

Single-Pot Reaction of Novel Fused Indolizine Derivatives

An unprecedented fused hexacyclic indolizine derivative generated by a single-pot reaction has been developed. This model overcomes the use of catalysts, inefficient atom economy, low yields, and limitations of lengthy steps. Density functional theory calculations reveal the reaction mechanism in which the oxygen molecule plays a crucial role in trapping the penultimate zwitterionic or biradical intermediate to generate the observed products.

Ferrocenyl conjugated oxazepines/quinolines: multiyne coupling and ring-expanding or rearrangement

Ferrocenyl conjugated oxazepine/quinoline derivatives were presented through the reaction of hexadehydro-Diels-Alder (HDDA) generated arynes with ferrocenyl oxazolines under mild conditions via ring-expanding or rearrangement processes. Water molecule participated in this unexpected rearrangement process to produce quinoline skeletons, and DFT calculations supported a ring-expanding and intramolecular hydrogen migration process for the formation of oxazepine derivatives. Two variants of this chemistry, expanded the reactivity between ferrocenyl conjugated substances and arynes, further providing an innovative approach for the synthesis of ferrocene derivatives.

3-Halo-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,2-oxazine N-oxides as synthetic equivalents of unsaturated nitrile oxides in the [3 + 2]-cycloaddition with arynes: synthesis of substituted 3-vinyl-1,2-benzisoxazoles

The reaction of 3-halo-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,2-oxazine N-oxides with arynes was studied. Arynes were generated from o-silylaryl triflates and underwent consecutive [3 + 2]-cycloaddition/[4 + 2]-cycloreversion with N-oxides leading to substituted 3-vinyl-benzisoxazoles in high yields. In the presented sequence, 1,2-oxazine N-oxides act as surrogates of rarely employed unsaturated nitrile oxides. A broad substrate scope was demonstrated. The influence of the substitution pattern of an aryne on the reaction outcome was determined. In the presence of bulky substituents, polycyclic 4,4a-dihydro-3H-benzofuro[3,2-c][1,2]oxazines were selectively formed. Mechanistic schemes for the observed reaction pathways were proposed. The synthetic utility of the products was demonstrated by their follow-up modifications.

Palladium-Catalyzed Sequential Cross-Coupling/Annulation of ortho-Vinyl Bromobenzene with Aryl Bromide: Bimetallic Pathway versus Pd(II)-Pd(IV) Pathway: A DFT Investigation

The palladium-catalyzed sequential cross-coupling/annulation of ortho-vinyl bromobenzenes with aryl bromides generating phenanthrenes was characterized by density functional theory (DFT). The Pd(II)-Pd(IV) pathway (Path V) is shown to be less probable than the bimetallic pathway (Path I), the latter proceeding via the following six steps: oxidative addition, vinyl-C(sp2)-H activation, Pd(II)-Pd(II) transmetalation, C-C coupling, aryl-C(sp2)-H activation, and reductive elimination. The aryl-C(sp2)-H activation process acts as the rate-determining step (RDS) of the entire chemical transformation, with an activation free energy barrier of ca. 27.4-28.8 kcal·mol-1, in good agreement with the corresponding experimental data (phenanthrenes' yields of ca. 65-90% at 130 °C after 5 h of reaction). The K2CO3 additive effectively reduces the activation free energy barrier of the RDS through direct participation in the reaction while preferentially modulating the charge distributions and increasing the stability of corresponding intermediates and complexes along the reaction path. Furthermore, bonding and electronic structure analyses of the key structures indicate that the chemo- and regioselectivities of the reaction are strongly influenced by both electronic effects and steric hindrance.

Transition metal-free and temperature dependent one-pot access to phenanthrene-fused heterocycles via a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition pathway

A versatile, operationally simple, temperature-dependent, and transition metal-free one-pot protocol has been devised for the preparation of novel phenanthrene-fused pyrazoles. Notably, the overall process involved an intermolecular condensation, an intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, and an aromatization sequence starting from biaryl-2,2'-aldehydes bearing enoate esters with various hydrazine hydrochlorides. Notably, the sequential one-pot three-component operation has also been achieved. Importantly, it was also shown that this protocol was amenable to hydroxylamine hydrochloride as the nitrogen source and furnished phenanthrene-fused isoxazoles. Notably, the temperature dependent nature of this protocol was also demonstrated, which led to the formation of dealkoxylcarbonylated phenanthrene-fused pyrazoles at slightly higher temperatures and longer reaction times. Remarkably, this metal-free protocol effectively constructed two C-N bonds and one C-C bond and exhibited a broad substrate scope.

Tandem Ene/[4 + 2] Cycloaddition Reaction for the Synthesis of 9-Benzylphenanthrenes from Arynes and α-(Bromomethyl)styrenes

A tandem reaction for the synthesis of phenanthrenes from arynes and α-(bromomethyl)styrenes is reported. The transformation proceeds via an ene reaction of α-(bromomethyl)styrenes with arynes, followed by a [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction. The reaction generates 9-benzylphenanthrene derivatives in moderate to excellent yields.

Fused diethynylbenzenes and phenanthrenes via arynes with alkynylsilanes

A method for the hydroalkynylation and catalytic cyclization reactions of hexadehydro-Diels-Alder-derived benzynes is described. Diethynylbenzene derivatives are generated in a one-step reaction via trimethylsilyl-alkyne groups with benzyne formed by heating the appropriate tetrayne substrate. Trimethyl(phenylethynyl)silane loses TMS and binds to the electron-deficient site on HDDA-derived benzynes, and then phenanthrene was synthesized under mild reaction conditions by transition-metal-free, base promoted intramolecular cyclization.

Uncovering the hidden reactivity of benzyne/aryne precursors utilized under milder condition: Bonding and stability studies by EDA-NOCV analyses

Arenes [C₆ H₃ R(TMS)(OTf); also called benzyne/aryne precursors] containing inter-related leaving groups Me₃ Si (TMS) and CF₃ SO₃ (OTf) on the adjacent positions (1,2-position) are generally converted to their corresponding aryne-intermediates via the addition of fluoride anion (F^- ) and subsequent elimination of TMS and OTf groups. This reaction is believed to proceed via the formation of an anionic intermediate [C₆ H₄ (TMS-F)(OTf)]^- . The EDA-NOCV analysis (EDA-NOCV = energy decomposition analysis-natural orbital for chemical valence) of over 35 such precursors of varied types have been reported to reveal bonding and stability of C_Ar Si and COTf bonds. EDA-NOCV showed that the nature of the C_Ar Si bond of C₆ H₃ R(TMS)(OTf) can be expressed as both dative and electron sharing [C_Ar Si, C_Ar →Si]. The C_Ar OTf bond, on the other hand, can be described explicitly as dative [C_Ar ←OTf]. The nature of C_Ar Si bond of [C₆ H₄ (TMS-F)(OTf)]^- exclusively changes to covalent dative σ-bond C_Ar →S(Me)3F on the attachment of F^- to the TMS group of C₆ H₄ (TMS)(OTf). Introduction of σ-electron withdrawing group (like OMe, NMe₂ , and NO₂ ) to the ortho-position of the TMS group of functionalized arynes C₆ H₃ R(TMS)(OTf) prefer to have a covalent dative σ-bond (C_Ar →Si) over an electron-sharing covalent σ-bond (C_Ar Si). If this σ-electron withdrawing group is shifted from ortho-position to meta- and para-positions, then the preference for a dative bond decreases significantly, implying that the electronic effect on the nature of chemical bonds affects through bond paths. This effect dies with distance, similar to the well-known inductive effect.

Fully Substituted Conjugate Benzofuran Core: Multiyne Cascade Coupling and Oxidation of Cyclopropenone

An unprecedented C═C double bond cleavage of cyclopropenone and dioxygen activation by multiyne cascade coupling has been developed. This chemistry provides a novel, simple, and efficient approach to synthesize fully substituted conjugate benzofuran derivatives from simple substrates under mild conditions. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the unique homolytic cleavages of cyclopropenone and molecular oxygen are crucial to the success of this reaction.