Microwave-assisted reactions of α-diazoketones with hetaryl and ferrocenyl thioketones

Ferrocenyl-substituted tetrahydrothiophenes via formal [3 + 2]-cycloaddition reactions of ferrocenyl thioketones with donor-acceptor cyclopropanes

Ferrocenyl thioketones reacted with donor-acceptor cyclopropanes in dichloromethane at room temperature in the presence of catalytic amounts of Sc(OTf)3 yielding tetrahydrothiophene derivatives, products of formal [3 + 2]-cycloaddition reactions, in moderate to high yields. In all studied cases, dimethyl 2-arylcyclopropane dicarboxylates reacted with the corresponding aryl ferrocenyl thioketones in a completely diastereoselective manner to form single products in which (C-2)-Ar and (C-5)-ferrocenyl groups were oriented in a cis-fashion. In contrast, the same cyclopropanes underwent reaction with alkyl ferrocenyl thioketones to form nearly equal amounts of both diastereoisomeric tetrahydrothiophenes. A low selectivity was also observed in the reaction of a 2-phthalimide-derived cyclopropane with ferrocenyl phenyl thioketone.

Structure of Diferrocenyl Thioketone: From Molecule to Crystal

Ferrocenyl-functionalized thioketones have recently been recognized as useful building blocks for sulfur-containing compounds with potential applications in materials chemistry. This work is devoted to a single representative of such thioketones, namely diferrocenyl thioketone (Fc₂CS), whose structure has been determined here for the first time. Both X-ray crystallography and a wide variety of quantum-chemical methods were used to explore the structure of Fc₂CS. In addition to the X-ray structure determination, intermolecular interactions occurring in the crystal structure of Fc₂CS were examined in detail by quantum-chemical methods. These methods were also an invaluable tool in studying the molecular structure of Fc₂CS, from the gas phase to solutions and to its crystal. Intramolecular interactions governing the conformational behavior of an isolated Fc₂CS molecule were deduced from quantum-chemical analyses carried out in orbital space and real space. Our experimental and theoretical results indicate that the main structural features of an isolated Fc₂CS molecule in its lowest-energy geometry are retained both upon solvation and in the crystal. The tilt of ferrocenyl groups is only slightly affected by crystal packing forces that are dominated by dispersion. Nonetheless, a network of intermolecular interactions, such as H···H, C···H and S···H, was detected in the Fc₂CS crystal but each of them is fairly weak.

Efficient synthesis of ferrocifens and other ferrocenyl-substituted ethylenes via a 'sulfur approach'

Stable and non-odorous alkyl ferrocenyl thioketones react with bis(4-methoxyphenyl)diazomethane according to the 'two-fold extrusion' reaction principles, and tetrasubstituted ethylenes obtained thereby can be demethylated to give (Fc,2OH)-ferrocifens in good yields. The method offers an alternative approach to this class of medically relevant compounds. A similar protocol with alkyl ferrocenyl thioketones and selected diaryldiazomethanes leads to ferrocenyl-substituted ethylenes including dibenzofulvenes. These products are of potential interest for electrochemical and photophysical studies.