Azomethine imines reaction with alkenes

The use of chiral azomethine imines in asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions with alkenes is limited. In the first example of this reaction, chiral azomethine imines were applied for the stereoselective synthesis of C-nucleosides (100-102). Recent work by Hus son and co-workers (103) showed the application of the chiral template 66 for the formation of a new enantiopure azomethine imine (Scheme 12.23). This template is very similar to the azomethine ylide precursor 52 described in Scheme 12.19. In the presence of benzaldehyde at elevated temperature, the azomethine imine 67 is formed. 1,3-Dipole 67 was subjected to reactions with a series of electron-deficient alkenes and alkynes and the reactions proceeded in several cases with very high selectivities. Most interestingly, it was also demonstrated that the azomethine imine underwent reaction with the electronically neutral 1-octene as shown in Scheme 12.23. Although a long reaction time was required, compound 68 was obtained as the only detectable regio- and diastereomer in 50% yield. This pioneering work demonstrates that there are several opportunities for the development of new highly selective reactions of azomethine imines (103). 

The use of lithium amides to metalate the a-position of the N-substituent of imines generates 2-azaallyl anions, typically stabilized by two or three aryl groups (Scheme 11.2) (48-62), a process pioneered by Kauffmann in 1970 (49). Although these reactive anionic species may be regarded as N-lithiated azomethine ylides if the lithium metal is covalently bonded to the imine nitrogen, they have consistently been discussed as 2-azaallyl anions. Their cyclization reactions are characterized by their enhanced reactivity toward relatively unactivated alkenes such as ethene, styrenes, stilbenes, acenaphtylene, 1,3-butadienes, diphenylacetylene, and related derivatives. Accordingly, these cycloaddition reactions are called anionic [3+2] cycloadditions. Reactions with the electron-poor alkenes are rare (54,57). Such reactivity makes a striking contrast with that of N-metalated azomethine ylides, which will be discussed below (Section 11.1.4). 

Nitrile imines are related to azomethine imines, in the same manner as nitrile oxides are related to nitrones. In a single and recent report, the reactions of D-galactose derived chiral nitrile imines have been described (104). However, in reactions with nonchiral alkenes, no diastereoselection was obtained. 

Garner et al. (90,320) used aziridines substituted with Oppolzer s sultam as azomethine ylide precursors. The azomethine ylide generated from 206 added to various electron-dehcient alkenes, such as dimethyl maleate, A-phenylmalei-mide, and methyl acrylate, giving the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition product in good yields and up to 82% de (for A-phenylmaleimide). They also used familiar azomethine ylides formed by imine tautomerization (320). Aziridines such as 207 have also been used as precursors for the chiral azomethine ylides, but in reactions with vinylene carbonates, relatively low de values were obtained (Scheme 12.59) (92). 

Ammonium ylides generated in this way are useful as a route to alkenes. Of more interest, nonstabilizcd immonium ylides can be prepared in situ from imines and trapped with a dipolarophile. This sequence provides a route to pyrrolines by reaction of azomethine ylides with acetylenedicarboxylic acid esters. 

The azomethine imine (151), having the alkene attached to the terminal dipole nitrogen, was generated in situ from the corresponding hydrazine by reaction with benzaldehyde (Scheme 47).79 As is typical in these reactions, condensation at the more basic benzyl-substituted nitrogen occurred, rather than at the acyl-substituted nitrogen. Cyclization of (151) afforded the 5,5-fused pyrazolidine and no bridged product. 

In theory, a pyrazole could react towards dienophiles or dipolarophiles as an azadiene (A) or as a 1,3-dipole of the azomethine imine category (B), both situations being identical with regard to the number of 7r-electrons involved (Figure 25) (see also Section 4.02.1.9.1). There is also the possibility that it may react as an alkene (C) or as an imine (D) towards dienes or 1,3-dipoles. In the case of ethenylpyrazoles a final possibility of a Diels-Alder reaction involving an exo- and endo-cyclic double bond must be considered. 

Treatment of oc-halo ketones 1392 (X = Br, Cl) with potassium thiocyanate and monosubstituted hydrazines 1393 provides Ar-aminoimidazoline-2-thiones [1397, R R = Me, Ph R R = (042)4 R = Ph, 4-O2NC6H4, PhCH2, etc.]. The reaction is considered to proceed via the formation of azo-alkenes 1394 and thiocyanic acid 1395. The intermediates, in turn, undergo a [34-2] cycloaddition reaction to give azomethine imine cycloadducts 1396, which proceed to the final products 1397 (Scheme 361) <199714(45)691, 2003JME1546>. 

Azomethine imines readily undergo 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions with alkenes and alkynes to furnish pyrazoUdines and pyrazolines, respectively (Scheme 5.21). 

Recently, Iwasawa established a set of transition metal-catalyzed protocols for an efficient construction of N l-C2-fused polycydic indole skeletons via a cycloisomerization-cycloaddition domino reaction of alkynyl imines 172 [222-224]. It was shown that the latter substrates, upon activation with transition metal catalysts, such as W(0), Pt(II), and Au(III), generate reactive azomethine ylide intermediates 174 similar to 166 (Scheme 9.64). Interception of such yUdes with a variety of suitably substituted alkenes 17S via a [3 - - 2]-cydoaddition affords fused indole products 177 through a transient formation of the corresponding metallocarbenoids 176. Transformation of terminal alkynyl imines proceeds with a 1,2-H shift in the 176, whereas... 

The 1,3-DC of azomethine imines and alkenes provides a straightforward access to dihydropyrazoles. In 2005, Sibi and coworkers developed the first catalytic enan-tioselective [3 -l- 2] cycloadditions of hydrazonyl bromide or chloride 31 to olefins 30 [19]. The corresponding dihydropyrazoles 32 were obtained in highly enantioen-riched form with 82-98% yields (Scheme 2.10). A concerted reaction mechanism was proposed considering the fact that only anti diastereomers of the cycloaddition products were observed by NMR analysis. Besides, other alkenes such as vinyl ether [20] and methallyl alcohol ether [21 ] were also good partners in the chiral Lewis acid-catalyzed cycloadditions of azomethine imines. 

Dinitrogen-fused heterocycles have been formed in high yield by thermal 3-1-2-cycloadditions of two types of azomethine imines with allenoates. Rhodium-catalysed formal 3 -l- 2-cycloadditions of racemic butadiene monoxide with imines in the presence of a chiral sulfur-alkene hybrid ligand have furnished spirooxindole oxazolidines and 1,3-oxazolidines stereoselectively. ° Formation of 1,2-disubstimted benzimidazoles on reaction of o-phenylenediamine with aldehydes is promoted by fluorous alcohols that enable initial bisimine formation through electrophilic activation of the aldehyde. 

In addition to cydocondensation reactions of the Paal-Knorr type, cycloaddition processes play a prominent role in the construction of pyrrole rings. Thus, 1,3-dipo-lar cycloadditions of azomethine ylides with alkene dipolarophiles are very important in the preparation of pyrroles. The group of de la Hoz has studied the micro-wave-induced thermal isomerization of imines, derived from a-aminoesters, to azomethine ylides (Scheme 6.185) [346]. In the presence of equimolar amounts of /i-nitrostyrenes, three isomeric pyrrolidines (nitroproline esters) were obtained under solvent-free conditions in 81-86% yield within 10-15 min at 110-120 °C through a [3+2] cycloaddition process. Interestingly, using classical heating in an oil bath (toluene reflux, 24 h), only two of the three isomers were observed. 

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