Reactions cycloreversion

Only one exception to the clean production of two monomer molecules from the pyrolysis of dimer has been noted. When a-hydroxydi-Zvxyljlene (9) is subjected to the Gorham process, no polymer is formed, and the 16-carbon aldehyde (10) is the principal product in its stead, isolated in greater than 90% yield. This transformation indicates that, at least in this case, the cleavage of dimer proceeds in stepwise fashion rather than by a concerted process in which both methylene—methylene bonds are broken at the same time. This is consistent with the predictions of Woodward and Hoffmann from orbital symmetry considerations for such [6 + 6] cycloreversion reactions in the ground state (5). 

The state of research on the two classes of acetylenic compounds described in this article, the cyclo[ ]carbons and tetraethynylethene derivatives, differs drastically. The synthesis of bulk quantities of a cyclocarbon remains a fascinating challenge in view of the expected instability of these compounds. These compounds would represent a fourth allotropic form of carbon, in addition to diamond, graphite, and the fullerenes. The full spectral characterization of macroscopic quantities of cyclo-C should provide a unique experimental calibration for the power of theoretical predictions dealing with the electronic and structural properties of conjugated n-chromophores of substantial size and number of heavy atoms. We believe that access to bulk cyclocarbon quantities will eventually be accomplished by controlled thermal or photochemical cycloreversion reactions of structurally defined, stable precursor molecules similar to those described in this review. 

Whatever the reason may be behind the strict necessity to deprotonate the flavin donor, the reduced and deprotonated flavin was established in these model studies to be an efficient electron donor, able to reduce nucle-obases and oxetanes. In the model compounds 1 and 2 the pyrimidine dimer translates the electron transfer step into a rapidly detectable chemical cycloreversion reaction [47, 48], Incorporation of a flavin and of a cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer into DNA double strands was consequently performed in order to analyse the reductive electron transfer properties of DNA. 

Scheme 8 Computed free reaction energies (in kcal mol-1 at the B3LYP/6-311 + G(d,p) level) for [1 + 4]-cycloreversion reactions of 1,3,2-NHPs with isolated and annulated rings. (Data from [69])...

Snyder and coworkers followed a completely different path to canthin-6-one (Fig. 23). Earlier they had shown that indole-substituted 1,24-triazine 66 could be heated in refluxing triisopropylbenzene (bp = 232 °C) to give /3-carboline 67 via an intramolecular cycloaddition/cycloreversion reaction [58]. Selective oxidation of 67 at C-6 was achieved through the use of triethylbenzylammonium permanganate [59]. Success of the reaction proved to be very sensitive to the solvent chosen. Heating 67 for 4 h at 70 °C in a 5 1 mixture of dichloromethane and acetic acid gave a 65% yield of 63, yet use of increasing amounts of dichloromethane slowed the reaction down (no reaction occurred in pure dichloromethane), while use of pure acetic acid led to an intractable mixture. 

Examples of sequential [2 + 2] cycloaddition and [2 + 2] cycloreversion reactions leading to the formation of stable carbene complexes are sketched in Figure 3.30. 

In marked contrast to that of cyclobutanes, the cycloreversion of cyclobutanones to ethene and ketene88 is most probably a concerted process.89-94 For example, the fact that the pyrolysis of 2-propylcyclobutanone (13) at 350 °C gives ethene and pent-l-ene in the ratio of 3.8 1 is not easily explained by a diradical mechanism.90 This transformation presumably involves two competing cycloreversion reactions. As expected for a concerted process, the conversion through the less sterically congested transition structure is favored. For this reason, ethene is generated as the major alkene.90... 

A great deal is already known about the pyrolysis of pinenes," which constitutes a perfect case for the study of cyclobutane cycloreversion reactions. In practice, this avenue was first explored with the hope of obtaining products with commercial value.99 Unfortunately, the application of these reactions to organic synthesis is somewhat restricted, because complex product mixtures cause complications. For the sake of clarity Table 6100 110 outlines only the cycloreversion products and their straightforward secondary derivatives nevertheless, it demonstrates some of the synthetic uses of these thermal cleavage reactions. 

Despite the fact that the outcome of cycloreversion reactions of cyclobutane derivatives is usually unpredictable, there have been ample examples that demonstrate the usefulness of these reactions synthetically. Some of these reactions are summarized in Table 7.111-158 Indeed, a practical synthesis of methyl buta-2,3-dienoatc by this cycloreversion strategy has been recorded in a detailed format.111... 

The mechanistic and synthetic groundwork has been unequivocally established for the consecutive cycloreversion transannular ene reaction sequence, from which /ra/w-decalin derivatives with a hydroxyl group at the ring junction are produced.146,147 As an example, the thermally induced cycloreversion of the ester 43 at 200°C affords 45 in an astonishing 96% yield.146 Presumably the initial cycloreversion product 44 is converted by a transannular ene reaction to generate the decalin 45.146 However, not all the cycloreversion reactions proceed to give a single product as predicted, as can be shown by the examples collected in Table 7. In fact, closer inspection of work already reported has shown that complex product mixtures are usually obtained from cyclobutane cycloreversion reactions.143,148 152... 

The reverse process is also useful in synthesis. The active components of the cycloreversion reaction are the two a bonds which will be broken and any systems to which both a bonds are allylic (i.e., at least one of m, n is an even number greater than 2). The stereochemistry of the reaction may also be specified in terms of the stereochemical mode of reaction of the active components of the reaction. 

The Diels-Alder Reaction can be used in a number of creative ways. For example, extremely reactive dienes can be generated by thermal cycloreversion reactions ... 

---