Cycloalkenes conversion

Instead ef the name metathesis, the term disproportionation is frequently applied to the reaction, and sometimes the term dismutation. For historical reasons the name disproportionation is most commonly used for the heterogeneously catalyzed reaction, while the homogeneously catalyzed reaction is usually designated as metathesis. The name disproportionation is correct in the case of the conversion of acyclic alkenes according to Eq. (1) however, this name is inadequate in most other situations, such as the reaction between two different alkenes, and reactions involving cycloalkenes. Similar objections apply to the name dismutation. The name metathesis is not subject to these limitations and, therefore, is preferred. 

An obvious drawback in RCM-based synthesis of unsaturated macrocyclic natural compounds is the lack of control over the newly formed double bond. The products formed are usually obtained as mixture of ( /Z)-isomers with the (E)-isomer dominating in most cases. The best solution for this problem might be a sequence of RCAM followed by (E)- or (Z)-selective partial reduction. Until now, alkyne metathesis has remained in the shadow of alkene-based metathesis reactions. One of the reasons maybe the lack of commercially available catalysts for this type of reaction. When alkyne metathesis as a new synthetic tool was reviewed in early 1999 [184], there existed only a single report disclosed by Fiirstner s laboratory [185] on the RCAM-based conversion of functionalized diynes to triple-bonded 12- to 28-membered macrocycles with the concomitant expulsion of 2-butyne (cf Fig. 3a). These reactions were catalyzed by Schrock s tungsten-carbyne complex G. Since then, Furstner and coworkers have achieved a series of natural product syntheses, which seem to establish RCAM followed by partial reduction to (Z)- or (E)-cycloalkenes as a useful macrocyclization alternative to RCM. As work up to early 2000, including the development of alternative alkyne metathesis catalysts, is competently covered in Fiirstner s excellent review [2a], we will concentrate here only on the most recent natural product syntheses, which were all achieved by Fiirstner s team. 

Cyclization, solvolytic, 54, 84 Cycloalkene oxides, 1-methyl, conversion to exocyclic methylene alcohols, 53, 20 Cyclobutadiene, generation in situ, 50, 23... 

Although the transition state for the exchange reaction may be described as the critical complex for the conversion of the half-hydrogenated state to either a jr-complexed olefin or an eclipsed vicinal diadsorbed alkane, the stereochemistry of hydrogenation of cycloalkenes on platinum at low pressures can be understood if the transition state has a virtually saturated structure. 

Hoye described an RCM-based total synthesis of the 20-membered marine macrolide dactylolide 288 and its subsequent conversion to the natural carbinolamide zampanolide 289 (Scheme 56), both feature a common highly unsaturated macrolide core, bridging a m-2,6-disubstituted 4-methylene tetrahydropyran unit. When the polyunsaturated acyclic lactone 286 (1 1 epimeric mixture around the /i r/-butyldimethylsilyl (TBS)-protected carbinol center) was in situ protected with bis-trimethylsilylacetamide (BSA) and then treated with catalyst G in benzene at 60 °C, each diastereomer smoothly cyclized to the corresponding cycloalkene 287 with exclusive ( )-geometry at the newly formed double bond. 

A closely related special case of metathesis is the conversion of cycloalkenes under metathesis conditions, known as ring-opening polymerization or metathesis polymerization (see Section 12.2). Macrocyclic polyenes and polymers, called poly-alkenamers, are formed with high stereoselectivity ... 

A major objection to these mechanisms was raised by Herisson and Chauvin,64 who found that cross-metathesis between a cycloalkene and an unsymmetric alkene resulted in a statistical distribution of cross-products even at very low conversion, whereas a simple pairwise mechanism would lead to a single product. It is also important to point out that cyclobutanes are not isolated as intermediates and are unreactive under metathesis conditions.30... 

In certain polyfluorinated cyclic compounds difiuoromethylene groups are hydrolyzed to carbonyl groups relatively easily.141 This is usually associated with the formation of cycloalkene intermediates, since the proximity of a C = C bond notably increases the reactivity of a difluoro-methylene group towards hydrolytic reactions. Thus, easy conversion of such groups to oxo groups has been observed in many cyclobutene derivatives. 2-Chloro-l,l,2-trifluoro-3-phenyl-cyclobutane is converted by potassium hydroxide into cyclobutene 1 and cyclobut-2-enone 2.141... 

Although Hantzsch-Widman system works satisfactorily (if you can remember the rules) for monocyclic compounds, it is cumbersome for polycyclic compounds. In the case of oxiranes it is simplest for conversational purposes to name them as oxides of the cycloalkenes or epoxy derivatives of the corresponding cycloalkanes. The oxabicycloalkane names seem preferable for indexing purposes, particularly because the word oxide is used in many other connections. 

The photoprotonation of cycloalkenes, described in this procedure, is believed to proceed via initial light-induced cis —> trans isomerization of the alkene.4 The resulting highly strained trans isomer undergoes facile protonation. This procedure permits the protonation of cyclohexenes and cycloheptenes under neutral or mildly acidic conditions.5 Since the process is irreversible, high levels of conversion to addition products can be achieved. 

A practical synthesis of 1,3-OX AZEPINES VIA PHOTOISOMERIZATION OF HETERO AROMATIC V-OXIDES is illustrated for 3,1-BENZOXAZEPINE. A hydroboration procedure for the synthesis of PERHYDRO-9b-BORAPHENALENE AND PERHYDRO-9b-PHEN-ALENOL illustrates beautifully the power of this methodology in the construction of polycyclic substances. The conversion of LIMONENE TO p-MENTH-8-EN-YL METHYL ETHER demonstrates a regio-and chemoselective method for the PHOTOPROTONATION OF CYCLOALKENES. An efficient method for the conversion of a ketone to an olefin involves REDUCTIVE CLEAVAGE OF VINYL PHOSPHATES. A mild method for the conversion of a ketone into the corresponding trimethylsiloxy enol ether using trimethylsilyl acetate is shownforthe synthesis of (Z)-3-TRIMETHYLSILOXY-2-PENTENE. 

In the course of time it appeared that many olefinic substrates could undergo this reaction in the presence of a transition metal compound, such as substituted alkenes, dienes, polyenes, and cyclic alkenes, and even alkynes. Calderon et al. were the first to realize that the ring-opening polymerization of cycloalkenes, which they observed with their tungsten-based catalyst system [4], and the disproportionation of acyclic olefins are, in fact, the same type of reaction. They introduced the more general name metathesis [2], The metathesis reaction has now become a common tool for the conversion of unsaturated compounds. In view of the limited space this intriguing reaction is reviewed only briefly more information can be found in a detailed and extensive monograph [5]. 

The literature of biphasic hydrogenations contains plenty of substrates (al-kenes and cycloalkenes, arylaliphatic olefins, carbonyl compounds, etc.), mainly with TPPMS as water-soluble ligand (solubility approx. 200 g/1 [150] as compared with 1100 g/1 with TPPTS [37]). So far, no industrial process has been derived from these smdies. Besides the development of the basics of biphasic operation, the research concentrates on fundamental work concerning the question of where the reaction takes place phase boundary, organic phase, or aqueous phase. Wilkinson [29] concluded from his hydrogenation tests with hexenes or cyclohexenes in the presence of TPPMS that the somewhat lower rate of hydrogenation as compared with monophasic conversion should be due to the necessary diffusion of the hydrogen to the alkene/water interface. In this way the iso-... 

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