Aziridines intramolecular cycloadditions, precursors

At about the same time, Wenkert and c-workers (75) reported a similar smdy into the intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 2-alkenoyl-aziridine derived azomethine ylides. Thermolysis of 231 at moderate temperature (85 °C) produced 232 as a single isomer in 58% yield. Similarly, 233 furnished 234 in 67% yield. In each case, the same stereoisomers were produced regardless of the initial stereochemistry of the initial aziridine precursors. However, the reaction proved to be sensitive to both the substituents of the aziridine and tether length, as aziridines 235 and 236 furnished no cycloadducts, even at 200 °C (Scheme 3.79). 

In a similar approach, Garner et al. (78) made use of silicon-based tethers between ylide and dipolarophile during their program of research into the application of azomethine ylides in the total asymmetric synthesis of complex natural products. In order to form advanced synthetic intermediates of type 248 during the asymmetric synthesis of bioxalomycins (249), an intramolecular azomethine ylide reaction from aziridine ylide precursors was deemed the best strategy (Scheme 3.84). Under photochemically induced ylide formation and subsequent cycloaddition, the desired endo-re products 250 were formed exclusively. However, due to unacceptably low synthetic yields, this approach was abandoned in favor of a longer tether (Scheme 3.85). 

Allylsilanes act as good acceptors of nitrones and oxyallyl cations. The 1,3-dipole species arising from electronically activated cyclopropanes can be trapped by allylsilanes.203 204 2043 Epoxides as well as aziridines act as 1,3-dipole precursors for inter- and intramolecular [3 + 2]-cycloadditions with allylsilanes.205 2053 206 2063... 

Cycloadditions. The scope of the Evans asymmetric aziridination is broadened by the ready availability of nitrene precursor 4-02NCjH S02N=IPh. The oxazolidinone-Af-acetic acid derived from (+)-cw-2-amino-l,2-diphenylethanol participates in p-lactam formation with imines. The predominant products (>99 1) have the (3/f,45)-configuration. The intramolecular [2+2]photocycloaddition involving a chiral allenylsilane moiety is an excellent method for accessing optically active methylenecyclobutane derivatives. ... 

An intramolecular allyl silane/N-sulfonyl iminium ion cyclization has also been used as a pivotal step in an approach to the tricyclic core of the unique marine alkaloid sarain A [46]. The starting material was aziridine ester 129 (Scheme 25) which was elaborated to amide 130. An important step in the synthetic strategy was thermolysis of 130 to an azomethine ylide, which underwent stereospecific intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with the Z-alkene to produce bicyclic lactam 131 [47]. This compound was then elaborated into allyl silane 132. It was then possible to replace the lactam N-benzyl functionality with a tosyl moiety, leading to 133, and subsequent reduction of the carbonyl group afforded the desired cyclization precursor a-hydroxy sulfonamide 134. Exposure of 134 to ferric chloride promoted cyclization to a single stereoisomeric tricyclic amino alkene 136 having the requisite sarain A nucleus. It is believed that the intermediate N-sulfonyl iminium ion cyclizes via the conformation shown in 135. 

Shipman and coworkers have shown that coordination of Bp3 OEt2 to 2-methylene aziridines (21) lead to an alternative precursor to 2-aminoallyl cations, which can be trapped with an appended 1,3-diene to effect an intramolecular [4 + 3] cycloaddition reaction that generates seven-membered ring systems such as (22) (Equation 16) [22]. 

---