Cyclopropane reductive

Various other [3]radialenes bearing quinoid substituents have been synthesized analogously, for example 3814,3914,4015, 4116,4215, and the rather unstable 4317. In contrast to most other tris(quino)cyclopropanes, reduction of tris(anthraquino)cyclopropane 38 does not succeed with hydroquinone, but requires more forcing conditions (Sn/HCl or Zn/HCl). Compound 44 represents the only tropoquino-substituted [3]radialene known so far18 the black-blue crystals of this strongly electron-accepting radialene are stable to air and light. 

The intramolecular cyclopropanation of appropriate y,(5-unsaturated a-diazoketones following a stereoselective catalytic reduction of the cyclopropyl ketone group provides a useful approach in diterpenoid synthesis. Some examples of the use of the cyclopropanation-reductive cleavage approach in synthesis are shown in equations 67 and 68l0f103. 

The majority of preparative methods which have been used for obtaining cyclopropane derivatives involve carbene addition to an olefmic bond, if acetylenes are used in the reaction, cyclopropenes are obtained. Heteroatom-substituted or vinyl cydopropanes come from alkenyl bromides or enol acetates (A. de Meijere, 1979 E. J. Corey, 1975 B E. Wenkert, 1970 A). The carbenes needed for cyclopropane syntheses can be obtained in situ by a-elimination of hydrogen halides with strong bases (R. Kdstcr, 1971 E.J. Corey, 1975 B), by copper catalyzed decomposition of diazo compounds (E. Wenkert, 1970 A S.D. Burke, 1979 N.J. Turro, 1966), or by reductive elimination of iodine from gem-diiodides (J. Nishimura, 1969 D. Wen-disch, 1971 J.M. Denis, 1972 H.E. Simmons, 1973 C. Girard, 1974),... 

The growing importance of cyclopropane derivatives (A. de Meijere, 1979), as synthetic intermediates originates in the unique, olefin-like properties of this carbocycle. Cyclopropane derivatives with one or two activating groups are easily opened (see. p. 69f.). Some of these reactions are highly regio- and stereoselective (E. Wenkert, 1970 A, B E. J. Corey, 1956 A, B, 1975 see p. 70). Many appropriately substituted cyclopropane derivatives yield 1,4-difunctional compounds under mild nucleophilic or reductive reaction conditions. Such compounds are especially useful in syntheses of cyclopentenone derivatives and of heterocycles (see also sections 1.13.3 and 4.6.4). 

The hydrogenolyaia of cyclopropane rings (C—C bond cleavage) has been described on p, 105. In syntheses of complex molecules reductive cleavage of alcohols, epoxides, and enol ethers of 5-keto esters are the most important examples, and some selectivity rules will be given. Primary alcohols are converted into tosylates much faster than secondary alcohols. The tosylate group is substituted by hydrogen upon treatment with LiAlH (W. Zorbach, 1961). Epoxides are also easily opened by LiAlH. The hydride ion attacks the less hindered carbon atom of the epoxide (H.B. Henhest, 1956). The reduction of sterically hindered enol ethers of 9-keto esters with lithium in ammonia leads to the a,/S-unsaturated ester and subsequently to the saturated ester in reasonable yields (R.M. Coates, 1970). Tributyltin hydride reduces halides to hydrocarbons stereoselectively in a free-radical chain reaction (L.W. Menapace, 1964) and reacts only slowly with C 0 and C—C double bonds (W.T. Brady, 1970 H.G. Kuivila, 1968). 

The reaction of benzoyl chloride with (Me3Si)2 affords benzoyltrimethylsi-lane (878)[626,749,750]. Hexamethyldigermane behaves similarly. The siloxy-cyclopropane 879 forms the Pd homoenolate of a ketone and reacts with an acyl halide to form,880. The 1,4-diketone 881 is obtained by reductive elimination of 880 without undergoing elimination of /7-hydrogen[751]. 

Scheme 1. Generality of the titanium mediated reductive cyclopropanation of N,N-diakylcarboxamides. More than 60 compounds have been prepared by this route.

Cyclopropanes can be cleaved by catalytic hydrogenolysis. Among the catalysts used have been Ni, Pd, and Pt. The reaction can often be run under mild condi-tions." ° Certain cyclopropane rings, especially cyclopropyl ketones and aryl-substituted cyclopropanes," can be reductively cleaved by an alkali metal (generally Na or Li) in liquid anunonia." Similar reduction has been accomplished photo-chemically in the presence of LiC104." ... 

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