Allenylidene cyclization reactions

Transition-metal allenylidenes are prone to undergo cycloaddition and related cyclization reactions involving both M=Co-, Co,=Cp, and Cp=Cy bonds of the cumulenic chain. In some cases, cyclization/cycloreversion pathways have been observed leading to the final isolation of acyclic products. 

Related reactions have also been performed starting directly from M(CO)6 precursors, via decar bony lation (UV irradation) of the corresponding intermediate [M =C(0Li)C=CCR20Li] and subsequent treatment with COCI2 [43, 90, 93]. However, these reactions are not always straightforward and, in some cases, different types of products derived from subsequent cyclization or addition reactions have been obtained. As an example, reaction of the intermediate chromium complex obtained from Cr(CO)6 and [C=CCMe20] with MeCOCl led to the bicyclic dinuclear allenylidene-carbene complex 3 (see Fig. 3) [94]. 

Group 6 allenylidenes also react with the carbon-carbon triple bond of ynamines to yield similar cyclobutenylidene derivatives 88 along with the corresponding alkenyl-aminoallenylidenes 89 (Scheme 32) [286]. These aminoallenylidene complexes result from a formal [2-1-2] cycloaddition between the ynamine C=C and allenylidene Cp=Cy bonds followed by cycloreversion. A stepwise cyclization initiated by the addition of the nucleophilic R C=CNEt2 carbon at the C or Cy position has been proposed in the formation of these isomeric products. As commented previously, unlike their Cr and W counterparts, the reactions of... 

As commented previously, alkenyl(amino)allenylidene ruthenium(II) complexes 41 are easily accessible through the reaction of indenyl-Ru(ll) precursors with ynamines (Scheme 10) [52-54]. Based on this reactivity, an original synthetic route to polyunsaturated allenylidene species could be developed (Scheme 19) [52, 53]. Thus, after the first ynamine insertion, complex 41 could be transformed into the secondary derivative 62 by treatment with LiBHEts and subsequent purification on silica-gel column. Complex 62 is able to insert a second ynamine molecule, via the cyclization/cycloreversion pathway discussed above, to generate the corresponding dienyl(amino)allenylidene species. Further transformations of this intermediate in the presence of LiBHEts and Si02... 

The thiolate-bridged diruthenium complex 101 can promote a cycloaddition reaction between propargylic alcohols and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to provide 3-acyM//-pyrans in excellent yield (Scheme 33). The reaction proceeds via formation and alkylation of the allenylidene complex 102 to form the vinylidene intermediate 103, which upon cyclization furnishes 4//-pyrans (Scheme 33) <2004JOC3408>. 

Allenylidene-THFs can be prepared by the tributyltin hydride-mediated radical cyclization of bromoalkynyl-oxiranes, where the epoxide ring serves as an efficient radical terminator (Equation 42). The reaction proceeds through the normal 5-exo-n oAe <1995CC897>. 

The radical photoisomeiization of iodoacetylenic esters (alkynes) represents a route to iodoalkylidene lactones [68]. Zinc has been added to reduce side reactions and to increase yields of the photolysis reaction. Bromoalkynyloxiranes are photocatalytically (tri-n-butyltin) cyclized to allenylidene tetrahydrofurans [69]. 

The central C.j=Cp double bond of an allenylidene backbone can also react with a variety of dipolar organic substrates to yield cyclic adducts. Most of the cyclization processes reported occur in a stepwise manner via an initial nucleophilic attack at the Co, atom and further rearrangement of the molecule involving a coupling with the Cp carbon. Representative examples are the reactions of the electron-poor ruthenium-allenylidene complex 46 with ethyl diazoacetate and 1,1-diethylpropar-gylamine to yield the five- and six-membered heterocyclic compounds 82 and 83, respectively (Scheme 29) [260, 284]. 

Thiolate-bridged dirutheniutn complexes catalyze the [3-f3] cycloaddition reaction between propargylic alcohols and cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to afford 4,6,7,8-tetrahydrochromen-5-ones or 4//-cyclopenta[b]pyran-5-ones [193] and with 2-naphthols or phenols to afford l//-naphtho[2,l-b]pyrans and 4//-l-benzo-pyrans, respectively [194]. This cycloaddition is considered to proceed by stepwise propargylation and intramolecular cyclization (carbon and oxygen nucleophile additions) reactions, where ruthenium allenylidene and vinylidene complexes are the key intermediates (Scheme 57). Enantioselective mthenium-catalyzed [3-f3] cycloaddition of propargylic alcohols with 2-naphthols has also been described [195]. 

In contrast to many studies on cycloaromatization via transition metal-vinylidene complexes as key reactive intermediates, only one example of such a reaction via transition metal-allenylidene complexes has been reported to date. In 2008, Yada et al. reported the formation of substituted fiirans 78 from 3-butyne-l,2-diols 77 in the presence of a catalytic amount of thiolate-bridged diruthenium complex (Scheme 21.33) [45]. This methodology was also applied to the formation of a substituted pyrrole 80 from l-amino-2-butyn-2-ol 79. It is noteworthy that thiolate-bridged diruthenium complexes worked as effective catalysts toward cyclization involving both ruthenium-allenylidene and ruthenium-vinylidene complexes as key reactive intermediates. 

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