Dienes, carbocyclization polymerization

When the cnolate of an enone is brought into reaction with an enone, usually a carbocyclic system is prepared by two consecutive Michael additions (M1MIRC reactions). Due to the lower temperatures employed and the absence of diene polymerization these reactions are useful alternatives for Diels-Alder reactions and proceed in general with high diastereoselectivities. When neither enolate nor enone is cyclic a monocyclic system is formed 338 which can be converted into a bicyclic system when the Michael addition is followed by an aldol reaction339. When, however, the enolate is cyclic a bicyclic or a tricyclic system is formed340 341. 

In carbocyclic chemistry, rather firm dividing lines usually exist between aromatic, non-aromatic, and anti-aromatic compounds, while in heterocyclic chemistry enormous variations in the extent of aromatic character are displayed.52 Furthermore, there is an enormous number of potential heterocycles as compared to carbocycles, as will be detailed in section 3 of this review. The degree of aromaticity has classically been judged qualitatively in connection with the diene character of heterocycles manifested in Diels— Alder reactions or polymerizations. In this regard for instance, furan (42) is less aromatic than benzene (43), as is isoindole (44) compared to indole (45) (Scheme 18). Therefore, a quantitative aromaticity scale would be useful. 

Abstract Several routes to access ruthenium (Ru)-vinylidene complexes are described, the majority of which employ alkynes and a Ru source as the starting materials. The successful application of Ru-vinylidenes as efficient pre-catalysts for the synthesis of carbocyclic and heterocyclic compoimds by ring-closing metathesis (RCM) of a, -dienes, and in the synthesis of polymers by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of cyclooctene, norbomene, 5-substituted norbomene, and dicyclopentadiene is fully illustrated. Relevant aspects concerning the activity and selectivity of this type of Ru complexes in metathesis reactions are highlighted. 

The cationic polymerization of conjugated dienes produces carbocyclic ladder structures, XV, containing little or no linear unsaturation. Some of the monomers studied were isoprene, butadiene, chloroprene, and 2,3-dimethylbutadiene. A variety of catalysts, such as AlClj, AlBr,... 

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