Cycloaddition precursor cyclohexenones

The synthesis of the projected W-acyliminium ion precursor (208) began with a cycloaddition between cyclohexenone (202) and 1,3-butadiene. This acid-promoted cycloaddition initially gave the m-cycloadduct, but the acid also promoted epimerization of the ring juncture to a thermodynamic 9 1 mixtrue of products from which 203 was isolated in reasonable yield. Reduction of 203 occurred with the expected axial delivery of hydride to provide largely 204. A Mitsunobu reaction gave succinimide 205. 

The parent TMM precursor (1), now commercially available, has played a pivotal role in the execution of many synthetic plans directed at natural and unnatural targets. Reaction of (1) with 2-(methoxycarbonyl)cyclohexenone (14, R=C02Me) in the presence of palladium acetate and triethyl phosphite produced the adduct (15) in near quantitative yield. This cycloadduct is a critical intermediate in the total synthesis of a hydroxykempenone (16), a component of the defensive substances secreted by termites (Scheme 2.5) [12]. In accord with a previous observation by Trost that unactivated 2-cyclohexenone reacts poorly with TMM-Pd [13], the substrate (14, R=Me) was essentially inert in the cycloaddition. 

H)-furanones undergo efficient cycloadditions as oxa-enones 450). The cycloadducts have been successfully utilized as synthetic precursors for 8-valerolactones 473) (4.62) or for 2-cyclohexenones (4.63)474>. 

If 2-methylenecyclobutanones, which themselves are not capable of this tautomerization and the following rearrangement, bear alkyl substituents with an a-hydrogen in the 3-position, still another rearrangement, a [1,3] shift, precedes the actual ring-enlargement step. This is important, because either 3-alkyl-2-methylene- or 2-alkylidenecyclobutanones or mixtures of both may be formed via [2 + 2] cycloaddition of allenes92 and can all be used as precursors for the same cyclohexenones. 

The ABCD ring system of the diterpene alkaloid atisine was constructed by T. Kametani et al using an intramolecular Diels-Alder cycloaddition reaction as the key step. The dienophile was obtained by the traditional Hofmann degradation of the corresponding dimethylamino precursor. The diene was prepared by the kinetic enolization of the cyclohexenone system with LDA. 

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