Alkyne insertion cyclopropanation

A recent modification of these reactions that appears to have significant potential in oiganic synthesis is a tandem sequence of alkyne insertion and cyclopropanation (Scheme 2).11S One particularly impressive, fully intramolecular case is shown in Table 7 (ref. 115). 

Similarly, the [cyclopropylmethyl(methyl)amino]carbene system reacted to give a cyclopropyl-methyl-substituted pyrrolinone. This cyclopropane-containing aminocarbene complex of chromium underwent alkyne insertion and formation of a heterocyclic ylide. Further rearrangements gave dihydro pyrrolones 17 and 18 with cyclopropylmethyl substituents. ... 

The two general mechanisms that have been proposed for the rhodium-catalyzed [5-1-2] cycloaddition are depicted in Scheme 20.10. One would proceed through initial formation of a metallacyclohexene followed by alkyne insertion and then reductive elimination. A second would involve initial formation of a metallacyclopentene followed by cleavage of the cyclopropane (ring expansion) and then reductive elimination [25]. 

Esters of a-diazoalkylphosphonic acids (95) show considerable thermal stability but react with acids, dienophiles, and triphenylphosphine to give the expected products. With olefinic compounds in the presence of copper they give cyclopropane derivatives (96), but with no such compounds present vinylphosphonic esters are formed by 1,2-hydrogen shift, or, when this route is not available, products such as (97) or (98) are formed, resulting from insertion of a carbenoid intermediate into C—C or C—H bonds. The related phosphonyl (and phosphoryl) azides (99) add to electron-rich alkynes to give 1,2,3-triazoles, from which the phosphoryl group is readily removed by hydrolysis. 

In a noteworthy series of studies, Herndon has shown that cyclopropylcarbenes can be used as four-carbon components in molybdenum- and tungsten-mediated [4 + 2 + l]-reactions with alkynes and carbon monoxide (CO). These reactions give cycloheptadienones in moderate yields and with moderate selectivity (Equations (26)—(28)). The mechanism of this reaction is proposed to proceed through a series of steps involving metathesis, GO insertion, ketene formation, cyclopropane cleavage, and finally reductive elimination (Scheme 43).133... 

In the example shown in Figure 4.4 either of these mechanisms leads to insertion of the alkyne into the C-Rh double bond of the initially formed acylcarbene rhodium complex. The resulting vinylcarbene complex undergoes intramolecular cyclopropanation of the 1-cyclohexenyl group to yield a highly reactive cyclopropene, which is trapped by diphenylisobenzofuran. 

The intramolecular addition of acylcarbene complexes to alkynes is a general method for the generation of electrophilic vinylcarbene complexes. These reactive intermediates can undergo inter- or intramolecular cyclopropanation reactions [1066 -1068], C-H bond insertions [1061,1068-1070], sulfonium and oxonium ylide formation [1071], carbonyl ylide formation [1067,1069,1071], carbene dimerization [1066], and other reactions characteristic of electrophilic carbene complexes. 

Rhodium(II) acetate catalyzes C—H insertion, olefin addition, heteroatom-H insertion, and ylide formation of a-diazocarbonyls via a rhodium carbenoid species (144—147). Intramolecular cyclopentane formation via C—H insertion occurs with retention of stereochemistry (143). Chiral rhodium (TT) carboxamides catalyze enantioselective cyclopropanation and intramolecular C—N insertions of CC-diazoketones (148). Other reactions catalyzed by rhodium complexes include double-bond migration (140), hydrogenation of aromatic aldehydes and ketones to hydrocarbons (150), homologation of esters (151), carbonylation of formaldehyde (152) and amines (140), reductive carbonylation of dimethyl ether or methyl acetate to 1,1-diacetoxy ethane (153), decarbonylation of aldehydes (140), water gas shift reaction (69,154), C—C skeletal rearrangements (132,140), oxidation of olefins to ketones (155) and aldehydes (156), and oxidation of substituted anthracenes to anthraquinones (157). Rhodium-catalyzed hydrosilation of olefins, alkynes, carbonyls, alcohols, and imines is facile and may also be accomplished enantioselectively (140). Rhodium complexes are moderately active alkene and alkyne polymerization catalysts (140). In some cases polymer-supported versions of homogeneous rhodium catalysts have improved activity, compared to their homogenous counterparts. This is the case for the conversion of alkenes direcdy to alcohols under oxo conditions by rhodium—amine polymer catalysts... 

Several of the reactions described in Section 6.16.2.4.6.1 are two-step reactions. After the initial [2+1] addition of the silylene to the multiple bond, a second insertion reaction of a silylene into a reactive Si-X bond of the cyclopropane derivative takes place yielding four-membered ring compounds. Examples are the reactions with alkynes, nitriles, imines, and ketones. 

Dirhodium(II) tetrakis(carboxamides), constructed with chiral 2-pyrroli-done-5-carboxylate esters so that the two nitrogen donor atoms on each rhodium are in a cis arrangement, represent a new class of chiral catalysts with broad applicability to enantioselective metal carbene transformations. Enantiomeric excesses greater than 90% have been achieved in intramolecular cyclopropanation reactions of allyl diazoacetates. In intermolecular cyclopropanation reactions with monosubsti-tuted olefins, the cis-disubstituted cyclopropane is formed with a higher enantiomeric excess than the trans isomer, and for cyclopropenation of 1-alkynes extraordinary selectivity has been achieved. Carbon-hydro-gen insertion reactions of diazoacetate esters that result in substituted y-butyrolactones occur in high yield and with enantiomeric excess as high as 90% with the use of these catalysts. Their design affords stabilization of the intermediate metal carbene and orientation of the carbene substituents for selectivity enhancement. 

Addition of a rhodium carbenoid to an alkyne leads to a cyclopropene derivative. In an intramolecular context, the fused cyclopropene moiety is unstable and undergoes ring opening to generate a rhodium vinyl carbenoid entity, which can then undergo cyclopropanation or cyclopropena-tion, carbon hydrogen insertion, and ylide generation. This is illustrated... 

Treatment of j]2-iminosilaacyl complex 6c with LiEt3BH gave azazircona-cyclopropane 10, which was hydrolyzed to give (silylmethyl)aniline in 82% yield (Scheme 5). Treatment of 10 with 4-octyne gave alkene 12 in 73% yield after hydrolysis. Presumably, the insertion of alkyne into the carbon-zirconium bond of 10 gives silazirconacyclopentene 11. When CuCl and allyl chloride were added to a THF solution of silazirconacyclopentene 11, tetrasubstituted alkene... 

Dirhodium(ll) tetrakis[methyl 2-pyrrolidone-5(R)-oarboxylate], Rh2(5R-MEPV)4, and its enantiomer, Rh2(5S-MEPY)4, which is prepared by the same procedure, are highly enantioselective catalysts for intramolecular cyclopropanation of allylic diazoacetates (65->94% ee) and homoallylic diazoacetates (71-90% ee),7 8 intermolecular carbon-hydrogen insertion reactions of 2-alkoxyethyl diazoacetates (57-91% ee)9 and N-alkyl-N-(tert-butyl)diazoacetamides (58-73% ee),10 Intermolecular cyclopropenation ot alkynes with ethyl diazoacetate (54-69% ee) or menthyl diazoacetates (77-98% diastereomeric excess, de),11 and intermolecular cyclopropanation of alkenes with menthyl diazoacetate (60-91% de for the cis isomer, 47-65% de for the trans isomer).12 Their use in <1.0 mol % in dichloromethane solvent effects complete reaction of the diazo ester and provides the carbenoid product in 43-88% yield. The same general method used for the preparation of Rh2(5R-MEPY)4 was employed for the synthesis of their isopropyl7 and neopentyl9 ester analogs. 

In contrast to the carbene and carbenoid chemistry of simple diazoacetic esters, that of a-silyl-a-diazoacetic esters has not yet been developed systematically [1]. Irradiation of ethyl diazo(trimethylsilyl)acetate in an alcohol affords products derived from 0-H insertion of the carbene intermediate, Wolff rearrangement, and carbene- silene rearrangement [2]. In contrast, photolysis of ethyl diazo(pentamethyldisilanyl)acetate in an inert solvent yields exclusively a ketene derived from a carbene->silene->ketene rearrangement [3], Photochemically generated ethoxycarbonyltrimethyl-silylcarbene cyclopropanates alkenes and undergoes insertion into aliphatic C-H bonds [4]. Copper-catalyzed and photochemically induced cyclopropenation of an alkyne with methyl diazo(trimethylsilyl)acetate has also been reported [5]. 

The corresponding alkyne bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-yne might behave like a wc-dicarbcnc that first yields carbene 46 via 1,3-CH insertion, which then forms an intermolecular cyclopropanation product. However, this pathway was not suggested. See (a) Laird, D.W. and Gilbert, J.C. (2001). J. Am. Chem. Soc. 123, 6704-6705 (b) Laird, D.W. and Gilbert, J.C. (2001). Chem. Eng. News 79 (28), 41... 

Murray s and Singh s studies on dialkylalkynes and alkyltrimethylsilyl-substituted alkynes likewise lead to products arising from oxirene and oxocarbene intermediates. The latter serve as precursors of products arising from hydrogen- or CH3-shifts, as well as cyclopropane insertion in some cases (Scheme 73). The enones derived from some of these carbene reactions are partially converted to 2,3-epoxyketones <93JOC5076>. 

Cyclopropanation of norbornene (9) with vinyl halides benzyl halides " or alkynes is also interpreted as proceeding via homoallylmetal complexes 10 and intramolecular alkene insertion to form the tricyclic product 11. 

Rhodium complexes generated from A-functionalized (S)-proline 3.60 [933, 934, 935] or from methyl 2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylates 3.61 [936, 937, 938] catalyze the cyclopropanation of alkenes by diazoesters or -ketones. Diastereoisomeric mixtures of Z- and E-cydopropylesters or -ketones are usually formed, but only the Z-esters exhibit an interesting enantioselectivity. However, if intramolecular cyclopropanation of allyl diazoacetates is performed with ligand 3.61, a single isomer is formed with an excellent enantiomeric excess [936,937], The same catalyst also provides satisfactory results in the cyclopropanation of alkynes by menthyl diazoacetate [937, 939] or in the intramolecular insertion of diazoesters into C-H bonds [940]. 

Similar reaction sequences have been used in the synthesis of the vitamin D system103-108 and other polycyclic ring systems109 -113. Instead of carbanion capture of an alkyne-carbapalladation adduct, a subsequent insertion of an unsaturated unit also leads to dicarborative addition to alkynes. If used in intramolecular versions, polycyclic products are obtained61-63,114. In some cases more complicated cyclopropane formations are involved in these conversions if further insertions can lake place before dehydropalladation occurs45 64. 

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