Vinyl diazoacetates

A related allylic C-H insertion that has considerable promise for strategic organic synthesis is the reaction with enol silyl ethers [23]. The resulting silyl-protected 1,5-dicarbonyls would otherwise typically be formed by means of a Michael addition. Even though with ethyl diazoacetates vinyl ethers are readily cyclopropanated [l],such reactions are generally disfavored in trisubstituted vinyl ethers with the sterically crowded donor/acceptor carbenoids [23]. Instead, C-H insertion predominates. Again, if sufficient size differentiation exists at the C-H activation site, highly diastereoselective and enantioselective reactions can be achieved as illustrated in the reaction of 20 with 17 to form 21 [23]. 

Diazocarbonyl compounds are especially useful in these reactions because of their ease of formation, relative stability, and controlled reactivity in catalytic reactions [ 1,11 ]. As outlined in Scheme 1, a wide diversity of methodologies are available for this synthesis, with access dependent on the nature of Z. Vinyl- and aryldiazoacetates are accessible by other pathways [2]. The order of reactivity toward diazo decomposition has diazoketones and diazoacetates much more reactive than diazoacetoacetates or diazomalonates. However, the influence of electronic effects on reactivities is more pronounced with phenyl- and vinyl-diazoacetates than with diazoacetoacetates and, especially, diazoacetates [12]. 

The Rh2(DOSP)4 catalysts (6b) of Davies have proven to be remarkably effective for highly enantioselective cydopropanation reactions of aryl- and vinyl-diazoacetates [2]. The discovery that enantiocontrol could be enhanced when reactions were performed in pentane [35] added advantages that could be attributed to the solvent-directed orientation of chiral attachments of the ligand carboxylates [59]. In addition to the synthesis of (+)-sertraline (1) [6], the uses of this methodology have been extended to the construction of cyclopropane amino acids (Eq. 3) [35], the synthesis of tricyclic systems such as 22 (Eq. 4) [60], and, as an example of tandem cyclopropanation-Cope rearrangement, an efficient asymmetric synthesis of epi-tremulane 23 (Eq. 5) [61]. 

As for cyclopropanation of alkenes with aryldiazomethanes, there seems to be only one report of a successful reaction with a group 9 transition metal catalyst Rh2(OAc)4 promotes phenylcyclopropane formation with phenyldiazomethane, but satisfactory yields are obtained only with vinyl ethers 4S) (Scheme 2). Cis- and trans-stilbene as well as benzalazine represent by-products of these reactions, and Rh2(OAc)4 has to be used in an unusually high concentration because the azine inhibits its catalytic activity. With most monosubstituted alkenes of Scheme 2, a preference for the Z-cyclopropane is observed similarly, -selectivity in cyclopropanation of cyclopentene is found. These selectivities are the exact opposite to those obtained in reactions of ethyl diazoacetate with the same olefins 45). Furthermore, they are temperature-dependent for example, the cisjtrcms ratio for l-ethoxy-2-phenylcyclopropane increases with decreasing temperature. 

The common by-products obtained in the transition-metal catalyzed reactions are the formal carbene dimers, diethyl maleate and diethyl fumarate. In accordance with the assumption that they owe their formation to the competition of olefin and excess diazo ester for an intermediate metal carbene, they can be widely suppressed by keeping the actual concentration of diazo compound as low as possible. Usually, one attempts to verify this condition by slow addition of the diazo compound to an excess (usually five- to tenfold) of olefin. This means that the addition rate will be crucial for the yields of cyclopropanes and carbene dimers. For example, Rh6(CO)16-catalyzed cyclopropanation of -butyl vinyl ether with ethyl diazoacetate proceeds in 69% yield when EDA is added during 30 minutes, but it increases to 87 % for a 6 h period. For styrene, the same differences were observed 65). 

Rhodium(II) pivalate has also been recommended for the cyclopropanation of vinyl halides with ethyl diazoacetate 78). As Table 8 shows, yields with this catalyst are far higher and reaction conditions milder than with copper. Failures are noted,... 

Table 8. Cyclopropanation of vinyl halides with ethyl diazoacetate in the presence of rhodium(Il) pivalate (Rhpiv) or copper...

As it is known from experience that the metal carbenes operating in most catalyzed reactions of diazo compounds are electrophilic species, it comes as no surprise that only a few examples of efficient catalyzed cyclopropanation of electron-poor alkeiies exist. One of those examples is the copper-catalyzed cyclopropanation of methyl vinyl ketone with ethyl diazoacetate 140), contrasting with the 2-pyrazoline formation in the purely thermal reaction (for failures to obtain cyclopropanes by copper-catalyzed decomposition of diazoesters, see Table VIII in Ref. 6). 

Palladium(II) acetate was found to be a good catalyst for such cyclopropanations with ethyl diazoacetate (Scheme 19) by analogy with the same transformation using diazomethane (see Sect. 2.1). The best yields were obtained with monosubstituted alkenes such as acrylic esters and methyl vinyl ketone (64-85 %), whereas they dropped to 10-30% for a,p-unsaturated carbonyl compounds bearing alkyl groups in a- or p-position such as ethyl crotonate, isophorone and methyl methacrylate 141). In none of these reactions was formation of carbene dimers observed. 7>ms-benzalaceto-phenone was cyclopropanated stereospecifically in about 50% yield PdCl2 and palladium(II) acetylacetonate were less efficient catalysts 34 >. Diazoketones may be used instead of diazoesters, as the cyclopropanation of acrylonitrile by diazoacenaph-thenone/Pd(OAc)2 (75 % yield) shows142). 

Based on a detailed investigation, it was concluded that the exceptional ability of the molybdenum compounds to promote cyclopropanation of electron-poor alkenes is not caused by intermediate nucleophilic metal carbenes, as one might assume at first glance. Rather, they seem to interfere with the reaction sequence of the uncatalyzed formation of 2-pyrazolines (Scheme 18) by preventing the 1-pyrazoline - 2-pyrazoline tautomerization from occurring. Thereby, the 1-pyrazoline has the opportunity to decompose purely thermally to cyclopropanes and formal vinylic C—H insertion products. This assumption is supported by the following facts a) Neither Mo(CO)6 nor Mo2(OAc)4 influence the rate of [3 + 2] cycloaddition of the diazocarbonyl compound to the alkene. b) Decomposition of ethyl diazoacetate is only weakly accelerated by the molybdenum compounds, c) The latter do not affect the decomposition rate of and product distribution from independently synthesized, representative 1-pyrazolines, and 2-pyrazolines are not at all decomposed in their presence at the given reaction temperature. 

Some remarks concerning the scope of the cobalt chelate catalysts 207 seem appropriate. Terminal double bonds in conjugation with vinyl, aryl and alkoxy-carbonyl groups are cyclopropanated selectively. No such reaction occurs with alkyl-substituted and cyclic olefins, cyclic and sterically hindered acyclic 1,3-dienes, vinyl ethers, allenes and phenylacetylene95). The cyclopropanation of electron-poor alkenes such as acrylonitrile and ethyl acrylate (optical yield in the presence of 207a r 33%) with ethyl diazoacetate deserve notice, as these components usually... 

A study of the regioselectivity of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of aliphatic nitrile oxides with cinnamic acid esters has been published. AMI MO studies on the gas-phase 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 1,2,4-triazepine and formonitrile oxide show that the mechanism leading to the most stable adduct is concerted. An ab initio study of the regiochemistry of 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of diazomethane and formonitrile oxide with ethene, propene, and methyl vinyl ether has been presented. The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of mesitonitrile oxide with 4,7-phenanthroline yields both mono-and bis-adducts. Alkynyl(phenyl)iodonium triflates undergo 2 - - 3-cycloaddition with ethyl diazoacetate, Ai-f-butyl-a-phenyl nitrone and f-butyl nitrile oxide to produce substituted pyrroles, dihydroisoxazoles, and isoxazoles respectively." 2/3-Vinyl-franwoctahydro-l,3-benzoxazine (43) undergoes 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with nitrile oxides with high diastereoselectivity (90% de) (Scheme IS)." " ... 

One of the early examples demonstrating the efficiency of this chemistry was the [3+4] cycloaddition reaction of diazoglutaconate 42 with cyclopentadiene, in which the endo-isomer 43 is exclusively formed in 98% yield (Eq. 5) [73]. The intermediacy of a cis-divinylcyclopropane is consistent with the stereochemical outcome because it would rearrange to the endo-product. Indeed in the case of more highly functionalized vinyl-diazoacetates, the ds-divinylcyclopropane was isolable, in which elevated temperatures were required for the Cope rearrangement [73]. 

C-H activation at a primary benzylic site was the key step in very short syntheses of lig-nans 206 and 207 (Scheme 14.27) [138]. Even though both the substrate 203 and the vinyl-diazoacetate 204 contain very electron-rich aromatic rings, C-H activation to form 205 (43% yield and 91% ee) is still possible because the aromatic rings are sterically protected from electrophilic aromatic substitution by the carbenoid. Reduction of the ester in (S)-205 followed by global deprotection of the silyl ethers completes a highly efficient three-step asymmetric total synthesis of (-i-)-imperanene 206. Treatment of (R)-205 in a more elaborate synthetic sequence of a cascade Prins reaction/electrophilic substitution/lacto-nization results in the total synthesis of a related lignan, (-)-a-conidendrin 207. 

It was mentioned earlier that catalytic hydrogenation of protoporphyrin-IX (19) produces mesoporphyrin-IX (46), and that this type of vinyl modification has been used in structural degradation methods. The vinyl group can also be modified for degradative purposes by addition of diazoacetic ester, which produces the corresponding cyclopropane derivatives... 

Rhodium(II) acetate appears to be the most generally effective catalyst, and most of this discussion will center around the use of this catalyst with occasional reference to other catalysts when significant synthetic advantages can be gained. Cyclopropanation of a wide range of alkenes is possible with alkyl diazoacetate, as is indicated with the examples shown in Table l.l6e>37 The main limitations are that the alkene must be electron rich and not too sterically crowded. Poor results were obtained with trans-alkenes. Comparison studies have been carried out with copper and palladium catalysts and commonly the yields were lower than with rhodium catalysts. Cyclopropanation of styrenes and strained alkenes, however, proceeded extremely well with palladium(ll) acetate, while copper catalysts are still often used for cyclopropanation of vinyl ethers.38-40... 

The structure of the carbenoid has considerable effect on the outcome of the reaction with vinyl ethers. Unlike the case with diazoacetate, reaction with diazopyruvate resulted in the formation of a dihydrofu-ran (17) rather than a cyclopropane (equation 8).26d The reaction is a formal [2 + 3] cycloaddition but it... 

Although C—H insertion reactions rarely occur in intermolecular reactions with diazoacetates, these are common side reactions with diazomalonates3132 (equation 10) and diazo ketones (with a-allyl vinyl ethers).33 Several mechanistic pathways are available to generate the products of an apparent direct C—H insertion reaction and these include dipolar intermediates, ir-allyl complexes and ring opening of cyclopropanes.1 Oxidative problems due to the presence of oxygen are common with copper catalysts, but these are rarely encountered with rhodium catalysts except in systems where the carbenoid is ineffectively captured.34... 

With modified Aratani catalysts (2, R = Ph and A = CH2Ph), Reissig observed moderate enantioselectivities (30-40% ee for the trans cyclopropane isomer) for reactions between trimethylsilyl vinyl ethers and methyl diazoacetate [26], but vinyl ethers are the most reactive olefins towards cyclopropanation and also the least selective [30,31]. Other chiral Schiff bases have been examined for enantio-selection by using the in situ method for catalyst preparation that was pioneered by Brunner, but enantioselectivities were generally low [32]. 

Dioximato-cobalt(II) catalysts are unusual in their ability to catalyze cyclopropanation reactions that occur with conjugated olefins (e.g., styrene, 1,3-butadiene, and 1-phenyl-1,3-butadiene) and, also, certain a, 3-unsaturated esters (e.g., methyl a-phenylacrylate, Eq. 5.13), but not with simple olefins and vinyl ethers. In this regard they do not behave like metal carbenes formed with Cu or Rh catalysts that are characteristically electrophilic in their reactions towards alkenes (vinyl ethers > dienes > simple olefins a,p-unsaturated esters) [7], and this divergence has not been adequately explained. However, despite their ability to attain high enantioselectivities in cyclopropanation reactions with ethyl diazoacetate and other diazo esters, no additional details concerning these Co(II) catalysts have been published since the initial reports by Nakamura and Otsuka. 

As can be expected, use of ethyl diazoacetate procides y-oxoesters15) ory-oxocarboxylic acids 16) from enol ethers. Emploging the Julia method with 25 leads to the p,y-unsaturated aldehyde 26. Thus, this sequence establishes an overall a-vinylation of a given aldehyde n 17 18). 

CO)2Fe (THF) BFT A transition state model for the syn stereoselective cyclo-propanations of alkenes with diazoacetic ester by Rh-porphyrin catalysts has been proposed. Alkenes , conjugated dienes and enol ethers are stereoselectively cyclopropanated with Rh(II) -stabilized 1- (alkoxycarbonyl)vinyl carbenoids derived from the diazo precursors and Rh2(OAc)4 (equation 95). The Cu(acac)2-catalyzed reactions of Me3SiCH2COCHN2 with alkenes provide the expected adducts in good yields ". ... 

Intermolecular cyclopropanation reactions with ethyl diazoacetate have been employed for the construction of the cyclopropane-containing amino acid 7 (equation 25) Thus, rhodium(II) acetate catalysed decomposition of ethyl diazoacetate in the presence of d-cbz-vinylglycine methyl ester 5 afforded cyclopropyl ester 6 in 85% yield. Removal of the protecting group completed the synthesis of 7. Another example illustrating intermolecular cyclopropanation can be found in Piers and Moss synthesis of ( )-quadrone 8" (equation 26). Intermolecular cyclopropanation of enamide or vinyl ether functions using ethyl diazoacetate has also been used in the synthesis of eburnamonine 9", pentalenolactone E ester 10" and ( )-dicranenone A11" (equations 27-29). 

Fluorinated pyrazoline-3-carboxylalcs such as 9 can be synthesized from readily available vinyl ketones (e.g., 7) and ethyl diazoacetate (8). ... 

Addition of ethyl diazoacetate catalyzed by cupric acetate to Cu(ll) complexes of porphyrin derivatives allows identification of their vinyl groups on a milligram scale. ... 

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