Carbocyclic derivatives bicyclic systems

Recent advances in the rhodium-catalyzed [4-1-2] reactions have led to the development of the first highly regioselective intermolecular cyclization, providing access to new classes of carbocycles with both activated and unactivated substrates. The chemo- and stereoselective carbocyclizations of tethered diene-allene derivatives afford new classes of 5,6- and 6,6-bicyclic systems. Additionally, examination of a wide range of factors that influence both diastereo- and enantioselectivity has provided a significant advance in the understanding of catalyst requirements across these systems. 

The next four procedures describe the regioselective preparation of bicyclic ring systems, specifically, condensed five-membered carbocyclic derivatives. A large... 

The bicyclic 3,4-dihydropyridines (51) and (53) illustrate that the electrocyclic ring opening is sensitive to substituents (80TL599). The 3,4-dihydropyridine (51) has been observed to be in equilibrium with the azepine (50). Consistent with the analogous carbocyclic system, norcaradiene-cycloheptatriene, the monocycle (50) is the predominant species present in this equilibrium. In contrast, the dimethyl derivatives (52) and (53) exist almost exclusively in the 3,4-dihydropyridine form. A greater steric interaction between these methyl substituents in (52) was given in explanation of these observations. 

Bi- and tricyclic carbocyclic ring systems can be easily obtained from (1-alkynyl)carbene complexes in two or more reaction steps without isolation of intermediate products. For example, the bicyclic 1,3-dienone 44 has been generated from compound le in a two-step cycloaddition/annulation procedure involving [4+2] cycloaddition of a diene to the C=C bond of a (l-alkynyl)carbene complex and a subsequent Dotz reaction.68 Furthermore, a 1,4-dioxy dihydronaphthalene 45 was obtained from the silyl derivative lg in a similar reaction sequence. In contrast to the methyl derivative 44, the corresponding silyl derivative generated from lg undergoes facile... 

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