Barbaralanes, structure

In principle, the divinylcyclopropane structure discussed here is incorporated into very well known systems such as bullvalene 547, barbaralane 548 and semibullvalene 549, which very easily undergo a Cope rearrangement. 

Radical cations (21 +) derived from semibullvalene + or barbaralane belong to a different structure type. The ESR spectrum of 21 + (a = 3.62 mT, 2H a = 0.77 mT, and strong CIDNP effects support a structure in which... 

Another structural possibility for a hexadiene radical cation arises, when the two allylic moieties are linked in pairwise fashion to two- or three-carbon spacers. This structure type can be approached by oxidation of molecules such as semibullvalene [391-393] or barbaralane [394]. In the resulting radical cations, the two allylic moieties are held in close proximity model considerations suggest a non-bonding C—C distance of 2.2-2.3 A, considerably closer than for the previously discussed structure type. At this distance, a moderately strong interaction of the twin moieties cannot be excluded. Accordingly, we assigned cyclic conjugated structures to radical cations derived from semibullvalene (-> 138 cf. 

We are, of course, aware of the strict Hiickel definition linking aromaticity to the presence of 4n + 2 rc-electrons, On the other hand, we note that the radical cations discussed below have SOMOs, which have one electron less than the Hiickel requirement and which show cyclic homoconjugation, even though the parent molecules assume alternative structures. In view of the precedence established for the radical anion (156) of bicyclo[6.1.0]nonatriene [416,417], in order to emphasize the dramatic difference between the structures of these radical cations and their precursors, and for reasons of convenience, we will refer to these species as homo- or bis-homoaromatic. The paradigm of these remarkable species is found in the barbaralane system. 

In contrast, CIDNP results indicate that the radical cations of barbaralane (157, X = C = 0) and semibullvalene (157, X = —) correspond to the elusive structure type with a single minimum [391, 424]. The spin density resides primarily on the termini (C-2,4,6,8) of the twin allyl moieties, whereas the remaining (internal) carbons of the 5 jr-electron perimeter have negative spin density. This spin density distribution reflects the coefficients of orbital 158, the HOMO of a bis-homoaromatic structure (Fig. 32) [424], More recently, ESR results have confirmed this assignment [392, 393],... 

Complete lineshape analysis of the ABCj DEF2 exchange process observed in the n.m.r. spectra of 2,6-disubstituted homotropylidenes has been employed in the evaluation of the thermodynamic parameters for Cope rearrangement, The phenyl groups at the 2,6-positions of the barbaralane (155) destabilize the transition state relative to the unsubstituted hydrocarbon (154) as evidenced by the AGj g values, respectively 9.3 and 7.6 ( 0.1) kcalmol" Kinetic data for the Diels-Alder addition of acrolein to cydohexa-1,3-diene, and its reverse reaction, in the gas phase have been interpreted in favour of a biradical mechanism. Both the heat and entropy of formation of the endo-adduct have been estimated. Structural modification of 2,3-dimethylenenorbornane (156) or of 2,3-dimethylenenorbornene (158) by the introduction of oxygen in place of C-7, as in (157) and (159) respectively, leads to a decrease in rate of Diels-Alder reaction of the dienes with dimethyl acetylenedi-carboxylate. The double bond in (158) likewise resulted in deactivation relative to (156), and epoxidation of the endocyclic double bond in (158) also afforded an s-cis-diene of decreased reactivity. 

Seefelder M, Heubes M, Quast H et al (2005) Expraimental and theoretical study of stabilization of delocalized forms of semibullvalenes and barbaralanes by dipolar and polarizable solvents, observation of a delocalized structure that is lower in free energy than the localized form. J Org Chem 70 3437-3449... 

The interest in the rearrangements of barbaralane (17) and derivatives is unabated. Ketone (251), prepared as in Scheme 36, at equilibrium favours structure (251a). Further theoretical analysis of the carbonium ions (CH) ... 

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