Cyclopropanation unsubstituted

Whereas the utility of these methods has been amply documented, they are limited in the structures they can provide because of their dependence on the diazoacetate functionality and its unique chemical properties. Transfer of a simple, unsubstituted methylene would allow access to a more general subset of chiral cyclopropanes. However, attempts to utilize simple diazo compounds, such as diazomethane, have never approached the high selectivities observed with the related diazoacetates (Scheme 3.2) [4]. Traditional strategies involving rhodium [3a,c], copper [ 3b, 5] and palladium have yet to provide a solution to this synthetic problem. The most promising results to date involve the use of zinc carbenoids albeit with selectivities less than those obtained using the diazoacetates. 

A comparison of the rate constant for photoisomerization of the unsubstituted 3-phenyl derivative (kT = 3 x 1010 sec-1) to that of the 3-(p-methoxy phenyl) derivative (kr = 1.5 x 1010 sec-1) indicates that the presence of the p-methoxy groups imparts no special stability to the intermediate responsible for isomerization even though cleavage of a cyclopropane bond is predominant. Clearly these results are inconsistent with an intermediate possessing electron-poor or electron-rich species such as would be obtained from heterolytic cleavage of the cyclopropane. On the other hand, the results are consistent with a biradical species as intermediate. Further evidence consistent with this conclusion was obtained in a study of trans-3-p-cyanophenyl-/ra w-2-phenyl-1 -benzoylcyclopropane,<82)... 

A different result was obtained in the cycloaddition to methylenecyclo-propanes 216-218 tearing alkoxycarbonyl substituents on the cyclopropyl ring. In this instance, 1,2,3-triazoles 220 isomeric with the triazolines 219 were formed in the reaction [57]. The formation of triazoles 220 is rationalised by the intermediate formation of triazolines 219, which are unstable under the reaction conditions and undergo a rearrangement to the aromatic triazoles via a hydrogen transfer that probably occurs with the assistance of the proximal ester carbonyl (Scheme 35). The formation of triazoles 220 also confirms the regio-chemistry of the cycloaddition for the methylene unsubstituted methylene-cyclopropanes, still leaving some doubt for the substituted ones 156 and 157. 

Carbocyclic compounds containing an unsubstituted exocyclic methylene group give 1,2-diazetidines with PTAD. Methylene adamantane gives the adduct 47,8 5 and the methylene cyclopropane (48, R = H) gave the 1,2-diazetidine 49.86 The phenyl-substituted compound (48, R = Ph) behaved similarly to styrene and gave a 2 1 adduct with PTAD (see Section IV,D,1). 

The molecular structure of the parent compound was investigated in the vapor and in the solid phase using X-ray, XN and GED methods. The reported data are shown in Table 16. In both phases a clear bond length separation could be detected with a localized three-membered ring and its three adjacent double bonds. The symmetry-equivalent cyclopropane bonds are rather long in C3v-symmetric BUL (1.533-1.542 A), which can be explained by the common electron-withdrawing effect of the 7r-systems in a. svM-ciinal conformation. For comparison, the unaffected bonds in unsubstituted cyclopropane are 1.499 A in the crystal and 1.510 A in the gas phase. Therefore, the bond lengths in BUL... 

The analogous process involving allylic epoxides is more complex, as issues such as the stereochemistry of substituents on the ring and on the alkene play major roles in determining the course of the reaction [38]. Addition of the Schwartz reagent to the alkene only occurs when an unsubstituted vinyl moiety is present and, in the absence of a Lewis acid, intramolecular attack in an anti fashion leads to cyclopropane formation as the major pathway (Scheme 4.10). cis-Epoxides 13 afford cis-cyclopropyl carbinols, while trans-oxiranes 14 give mixtures of anti-trans and anti-cis isomers. The product of (S-elimi-... 

By similar arguments to those used earlier he concludes that the isomerization does not involve the cyclic biradical. However, the objections of Steel et al. (1964) mentioned earlier in the case of the unsubstituted bicyclopentane isomerization are just as relevant in this case. It appears therefore that there is as yet no conclusive evidence against a biradical intermediate (though this in itself does not imply that such an intermediate must be involved), and the situation in respect of the probable transition state is remarkably similar to that of the simple cyclopropane isomerizations. 

For intermolecular cyclopropanations with unsubstituted diazoacetates the highest asymmetric inductions can be achieved with the copper(I) complexes of C2-symmetric, bidentate ligands developed by Pfaltz (e.g. 1) and Evans (2). The chiral rhodium(II) complexes known today do not generally lead to such high enantiomeric excesses as copper complexes in intermolecular cyclopropanations. For intramolecular cyclopropanations, however, chiral rhodium(II) complexes are usually superior to enantiomerically pure copper complexes [1374]. 

The reaction of heteroatom-substituted alkenes with electrophilic carbene complexes can lead to the formation of highly reactive, donor-acceptor-substituted cyclopropanes. This type of cyclopropane usually undergoes ring fission and rearrangement reactions under milder conditions than do unsubstituted cyclopropanes (Figure 4.22). 

Triazolylcyclopropane derivatives are endowed with antimycotic properties [125]. They are also prepared as plant growth regulators and fungicides for instance 93 (R = unsubstituted and substituted aryl, heteroaryl) markedly inhibited the growth of rice, cotton and soybeans in hot tests [126]. l-(l,2,4-Triazolyl)-2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)cyclopropane 94, is a more effective fungicide against Podosphaera leucotricha and a better growth retardant in rice and soybeans than the (l,2,4-triazolyl)pentenone 95, Eq. (36) [127]. 

The cyclopropanation utilizing donor/acceptor rhodium carbenoids can be extended to a range of monosubstituted alkenes, occurring with very high asymmetric induction (Tab. 14.4) [40]. Reactions with electron-rich alkenes, where low enantioselectivity was observed at room temperature, could be drastically improved using the more hydrocarbon-soluble Rh2(S-DOSP)4 catalyst at -78°C. The highest enantioselectivity is obtained when a small ester group such as a methyl ester is used [40], a trend which is the opposite to that seen with the unsubstituted diazoacetate system [16]. 

The reactions of vinyl ethers with vinyldiazoacetates unsubstituted at the vinyl terminus result in a very interesting outcome because either regioisomer of the [3 + 2] cycloadduct can be obtained (Scheme 14.16) [104]. An example is the reaction with 2,3-dihydrofuran where regioisomer 122 is formed via the established ring-opening reaction of the donor/acceptor-substituted vinylcyclopropane 121 under Lewis acidic conditions (Scheme 14.14) [104, 105]. The cyclopropanation step has been optimized to... 

The enthalpy of fomation of two such species has been measured, namely the cyclopropane and cycloheptane derivatives. The difference between the values for these two species, both as solids, is 238.1 kJmol . Is this difference plausible Consider the difference between the enthalpies of formation of the parent cycloalkanes as solids, 194 kJ mol . The ca 44 kJ mol discrepancy between these two differences seems rather large. However, there are idiosyncracies associated with the enthalpies of formation of compounds with three-membered rings and almost nothing is known at all about the thermochemistry of compounds with seven-membered rings. Rather, we merely note that a seemingly well-defined synthesis of cycloheptyl methyl ketone was shown later to result in a mixture of methyl methylcyclohexyl ketones, and superelectrophilic carbonylation of cycloheptane resulted in the same products as methylcyclohexane, namely esters of 1-methylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid. The difference between the enthalpies of formation of the unsubstituted alicyclic hydrocarbons cycloheptane and methylcyclohexane as solids is 33 kJmol . This alternative structural assignment hereby corrects for most of the above 44 kJ mol discrepancy in the enthalpies of formation of the two oximes. More thermochemical measurements are needed, of oximes and cycloheptanes alike. 

The product-determining role of the LUMO can also explain the regioselective capture of other radical cations, including the nucleophilic attack on l-aryl-2-alkylcyclopropanes (112 +). The SOMO and LUMO of disubstituted cyclopropane radical cations (e.g., 1,2-dimethylcyclopropane Fig 6.17) suggest that the observed regioselectivity reflects electronic factors capture at the unsubstituted cyclopropane carbon is unlikely, since neither SOMO nor LUMO have orbital coefficients at C3. ... 

Intermolecular cyclopropanation of 2-substituted terminal diene 121 with rhodium or copper catalysts occurs preferentially at the more electron-rich double bond (equation 109)37162. With a palladium catalyst, considerable differences in regiocontrol can occur, depending on the substituent of the diene. In general, palladium catalysed cyclopropanation occurs preferentially at the less substituted double bond (equation 110). However, with a stronger electron-donating substituent present in the diene, e.g. as in 2-methoxy-l, 3-butadiene, the catalytic process results in exclusive cyclopropanation at the unsubstituted double bond (equation 110)162. 

Simmons-Smith reagent, 275 Unsubstituted cyclopropanes by cycli-zation reactions Menthol, 172... 

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