Diels-Alder reaction aluminum chloride catalysis

Within the last few years, it has conclusively been demonstrated that the Diels-Alder reaction is susceptible to catalysis with Lewis acids or Friedel-Crafts catalysts such as aluminum chloride (15, 18, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 57, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 82, 86). As a result of catalysis, it was possible to change the following ... 

To conclude this section, it is important to note that alkenes are not the only hydrocarbon dienophiles that are useful partners in the Diels-Alder reaction. Alkynes and even benzyne are quite useful. As a structure proof of an intermediate in Pandey s synthesis of epiboxidine, the methyl carbamate of pyrrole (34) reacted with dimethyl-2-butynoate (35),in the presence of aluminum chloride (see sec. 11.6.A for a discussion of Lewis acid catalysis) to give a 90% yield of azanorbomadiene (36). A benzyne derivative of pyridine was... 

Unfortunately, all of the above-described synthetic approaches towards HBC (1) suffer from serious drawbacks, such as harsh reaction conditions, a complicated experimental work-up, and low yields. Furthermore, under aluminum(III) chloride catalysis, dealkylation, migration of the alkyl substituents - or even chlorination of the aromatic system- occurs, which clearly limits the accessibility of functionalized HBC derivatives for further investigations and applications. In order to overcome these problems, the weaker Lewis acid iron(III) chloride in nitromethane was used instead of AICI3, and the reaction conditions were carefully optimized [55, 56]. In this way, access was obtained to a multitude of HBC derivatives 8 and 9 with diverse substitution patterns and symmetries bearing solubilizing alkyl chains and halogen substituents, starting from functionalized hexaphenylbenzenes. The sixfold symmetric hexaphenylbenzenes 10 were synthesized by the Co2(CO)g-catalyzed cyclotrimerization of substituted diphenyl-acetylenes 11 (Scheme 13.4a) [57], whereas the intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction... 

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