Cyclisation mechanism

Information about the amount and the structure of the cyclic units present in cyclised BR (CBR) can be obtained by different spectroscopic methods. C13 NMR yields the quantitative information about unsaturation in CBR, i.e., linear and cyclic double bonds. IR spectra provide information on the residual linear unsaturation. According to the cyclisation mechanism it is assumed that one polycyclic sequence gives rise to one unsaturation. The fraction of polycyclic units and the average number of cyclohexane... 

Further results show that L-serine is a very much better precursor than the D-isomer for nocardicin A (.156), The L-serine was incorporated with extensive, but not complete, loss of a tritium label located at C-2 in (155). Any cyclisation mechanism which involves loss of the C-2 proton is thus excluded. 

Scheme 3. Possible cyclisation mechanisms in the biosynthesis of trichothecenes and apotrichothecenes the electronic representation is purely indicative, e.g. alcohol nucleophiles may act in their hydroxy rather than alkoxide forms...

The group of Boger described the total synthesis of kopsinine, a member of the Aspidosperma alkaloids, using their landmark [4 + 2]/[3 + 2] cycloaddition cascade for the conversion of 44 to 45 (Scheme 16). An unusual Sml2-promoted transannular cyclisation of xanthate 46, formed the bicyclo[2,2,2]octane moiety and provided the highly compact core of the natural product 48 as a single diastereoisomer. Although 48 is the least stable diastereoisomer, its formation is consistent with a radical cyclisation mechanism followed by kinetic protonation of the samarium enolate 47 formed after a second electron transfer. 

Scheme 10.3 Cyclisation mechanisms via (a) Diels-Alder and (b) intramoleodar reactions. Adapted from Ref. [97] with kind permission of the Elsevier.

In the Meth-Cohn quinoline synthesis, the acetanilide becomes a nucleophile and provides the framework of the quinoline (nitrogen and the 2,3-carbons) and the 4-carbon is derived from the Vilsmeier reagent. The reaction mechanism involves the initial conversion of an acylanilide 1 into an a-iminochloride 11 by the action of POCI3. The a-chloroenamine tautomer 12 is subsequently C-formylated by the Vilsmeier reagent 13 derived from POCI3 and DMF. In examples where acetanilides 1 (r = H) are employed, a second C-formylation of 14 occurs to afford 15 subsequent cyclisation and... 

The most plausible mechanism involves condensation between aldehyde 1 and amine 5 to give the corresponding imine 6. Cyclisation and subsequent elimination yields the fully unsaturated isoquinoline ring structure 4. 

Stabilised sulphur ylides react with alkenylcarbene complexes to form a mixture of different products depending on the reaction conditions. However, at -40 °C the reaction results in the formation of almost equimolecular amounts of vinyl ethers and diastereomeric cyclopropane derivatives. These cyclopropane products are derived from a formal [2C+1S] cycloaddition reaction and the mechanism that explains its formation implies an initial 1,4-addition to form a zwitterionic intermediate followed by cyclisation. Oxidation of the formed complex renders the final products [30] (Scheme 8). 

The mechanism for aldehyde-derived enamines involves a Michael-type 1,4-addition of the enamine to the alkenylcarbene complex to generate a zwit-terionic intermediate which evolves to the final product by cyclisation. On the other hand, ketone-derived enamines react through an initial 1,2-addition to the carbene carbon to generate a different zwitterionic intermediate. Then, a [l,2]-W(CO)5 shift-promoted ring closure produces a new intermediate which, after elimination of the metal moiety, furnishes the corresponding cyclopen-tene derivatives (Scheme 30). 

The a-substitution in the alkenylcarbene complex seems to be crucial to direct the reaction to the five-membered rings. The mechanism proposed for this transformation supposes an initial 1,2-addition of the enolate to the carbene carbon atom to generate a zwitterionic intermediate. Cyclisation promoted by... 

The reaction of ethyl 2,2-diethoxyacrylate with alkynylalkoxycarbene complexes affords 6-ethoxy-2H-2-pyranylidene metal complexes [92] (Scheme 48). The mechanism that explains this process is initiated by a [2+2] cycloaddition reaction (see Sect. 2.3), followed by a cyclobutene ring opening to generate a tetracarbonylcarbene complex. This complex can be isolated and on standing for one day at room temperature renders the final 6-ethoxy-2Ff-pyranylidene pentacarbonyl complex. This last transformation requires the formal transfer of one carbonyl group and one proton from the diethoxy methylene moiety to the metal and to the C3 2H-pyranylidene ring, respectively, with concomitant cyclisation. Further studies on this unusual transformation have been extensively performed by Moreto et al. [93]. 

S+3C] Heterocyclisations have been successfully effected starting from 4-amino-l-azadiene derivatives. The cycloaddition of reactive 4-amino-1-aza-1,3-butadienes towards alkenylcarbene complexes goes to completion in THF at a temperature as low as -40 °C to produce substituted 4,5-dihydro-3H-azepines in 52-91% yield [115] (Scheme 66). Monitoring the reaction by NMR allowed various intermediates to be determined and the reaction course outlined in Scheme 66 to be established. This mechanism features the following points in the chemistry of Fischer carbene complexes (i) the reaction is initiated at -78 °C by nucleophilic 1,2-addition and (ii) the key step cyclisation is triggered by a [l,2]-W(CO)5 shift. 

Although the exact mechanism of the Tschitschibabin cyclisation has not been elucidated, it is reasonable, as shown in Scheme 4, to assume a series of reversible steps from the vinylogous ylide (or methylide) to a methine and an enol-betaine intermediate and then finally an irreversible dehydration to the indolizine nucleus. The reaction might be related to the modern electrocyclic 1,5 dipolar cyclization. 

A general synthesis of pyrrolo[3,4-mediated reductive cyclisation of the pyrrolidinones 16 with amidines. The suggested mechanism is that shown in Scheme 2 < 95JOC7687 >. 

The mechanisms of the cyclisation of 2 -hydroxychalcone derivatives which can lead to flavanones, flavones and aurones have been reviewed <95MI1> and the formation of 3-hydroxy- chromanones and -flavanones from l-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-2-propen-l-ones via the epoxide has been optimised <96JOC5375>. 

The carotenoid pathway may also be regulated by feedback inhibition from the end products. Inhibition of lycopene cyclisation in leaves of tomato causes increase in the expression of Pds and Psy-1 (Giuliano et al, 1993 Corona et al, 1996). This hypothesis is supported by other studies using carotenoid biosynthesis inhibitors where treated photosynthetic tissues accumulated higher concentrations of carotenoids than untreated tissues (reviewed by Bramley, 1993). The mechanism of this regulation is unknown. A contrary view, however, comes from studies on the phytoene-accumulating immutans mutant of Arabidopsis, where there is no feedback inhibition of phytoene desaturase gene expression (Wetzel and Rodermel, 1998). 

The postulated mechanism for the reaction involves activation of the alkyne by jt-coordination to the cationic (IPr)Au% followed by direct nucleophilic attack by the electron-rich aromatic ring to form product 111. Alternatively, two 1,2-acetate migrations give the activated aUene complex, which can be cyclised to product 110 by nucleophilic attack of the aromatic ring on the activated aUene (Scheme 2.21) [92]. 

An unusual [4+1] cycloaddition gold-catalysed reaction between propargyl tosylates 102 and imines 103 led to the formation of eyclopent-2-enimines 104 (Scheme 5.27) [27], A possible mechanism for this reaction involves a 1,2-migration of the tosylate that generates the 1,3-diene 105 followed by a Nazarov-hke cyclisation. 

The reaction mechanism is shown in Figure 4 and is adapted from work by Fiego et al. [9] on the acid catalysed condensation of acetone by basic molecular sieves. The scheme has been modified to include the hydrogenation of mesityl oxide to MIBK. The scheme begins with the self-condensation of acetone to form diacetone alcohol as the primary product. The dehydration of DAA forms mesityl oxide, which undergoes addition of an addition acetone to form phorone that then can cyclise, via a 1,6-Michael addition to produce isophorone. Alternatively, the mesityl oxide can hydrogenate to form MIBK. 

Similar cyclisations have also been invoked recently 159 160>. Support for our suggested mechanism is apparent from the structures of the products obtained with various methyl derivatives of acrolein. Similarly, p-deuteriocinnamaldehyde leads to 2-[2H]5.6,7,8-tetrachloroflavene 157>. 

This chapter is concerned with reaction rates, equilibria, and mechanisms of cyclisation reactions of chain molecules. A detailed analysis of the historical development of experimental approaches and theories concerning the intramolecular interactions of chain molecules and the processes of ring closure is outside the scope of this chapter. It must be borne in mind, however, that the present state of the art in the field is the result of investigations which have been approached with a variety of lines of thought, methods, and objectives. 

Table 5 lists equilibrium data for a new hypothetical gas-phase cyclisation series, for which the required thermodynamic quantities are available from either direct calorimetric measurements or statistical mechanical calculations. Compounds whose tabulated data were obtained by means of methods involving group contributions were not considered. Calculations were carried out by using S%g8 values based on a 1 M standard state. These were obtained by subtracting 6.35 e.u. from tabulated S g-values, which are based on a 1 Atm standard state. Equilibrium constants and thermodynamic parameters for these hypothetical reactions are not meaningful as such. More significant are the EM-values, and the corresponding contributions from the enthalpy and entropy terms. 

An alternative route to pyranthrone, involving baking 1,6-dibenzoylpyrene (6.96) with aluminium chloride, was also devised by Scholl (Scheme 6.18). The Scholl reaction is a key step in the synthesis of several polycyclic quinones the cyclisation of 1-benzoylnaphthalene to give benzanthrone (6.73) has already been mentioned. The mechanism of this cyclodehydrogenation reaction may involve an initial protonation step, if traces of water are present, or complexation with aluminium chloride. Electrophilic substitution is thereby... 

The mechanism of the reaction is still obscure but our results are probably compatible with those of Pepper and Barton [23] who found that the rate of disappearance of unsaturation, when 1,3-diphenyl butene-1 (distyrene) reacted with perchloric acid, was of second order in olefin and in acid. Unfortunately they did not investigate whether any saturated products other than the cyclised dimer were formed, although they found some higher oligomers. 

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