Endocyclic allene

Endocyclic allenes which contain other double bonds lead to rearranged products. An example is the reaction of dibromobicyclononatriene (17) with methyllithium to form initially a carbenoid (18) which... 

Trapping of strained endocyclic allenes can also be accomplished with molecular bromine as illustrated by the formation of cycloocta-1,2-diene derivative 97. ... 

Stable nine-membered rings or higher homologs of endocyclic allenes are routinely prepared by the Doering-Moore-Skattebol method (Table 6). 

This method provides a convenient synthesis of alkenes with the double bond in a relatively unstable position. Thus reduction of the p-toluenesulfonylhydrazones of a,(3-unsaturated aryl ketones and conjugated dienones gives rise to nonconjugated olefins. Unsaturated ketones with endocyclic double bonds produce olefins with double bonds in the exocyclic position. The reduction of p-toluenesulfonylhydrazones of conjugated alkynones furnishes a simple synthesis of 1,3-disubstituted allenes. ... 

Activation of one the double bonds of the allene by coordination to an electrophilic metal center such as Hg(II), Ag(I), Pd(II), Rh(I), Cu(I) or Au(III). Then an intramolecular nucleophile can attack and the product is formed by protodemetallation of the intermediate (Scheme 15.1). Depending on electronic and steric factors, either the proximal or the distal Jt-bond of the allene 1 is activated in that way (2 and/or 3). For each of these two possibilities now an exo or endo attack of the nucleophile is conceivable, leading to intermediates 4—7. An equilibrium between both 5 and 6 and 9 is possible. Finally, from 4 the vinyl-substituted 8 is formed. From 5, 6 or 9 the exocyclic alkene 10 and/or the endocyclic alkene 11 can be observed. Compound 7 would deliver the endocyclic alkene 12. 

Enol ethers and enol acetates of cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds also afford mixtures of regioisomers on irradiation in the presence of allene, the preferential orientation of addition for enol ethers being mainly head-to-tail.9-11 Endocyclic enol ethers on the other hand, e.g. 2.3-dihydro-4//-pyran-4-ones 4, add regioselectively to allene with exclusive formation of head-to-head adducts.11... 

Analogously, the thermal formation of fused strained tricycles 77 can be rationalized by a mechanism which includes an exocyclic diradical intermediate 80 through an initial carbon-carbon bond formation, involving the proximal allene carbon and the internal alkene carbon atom (path C, Scheme 28). The alternative pathway leading to tricyclic 2-azetidinones 77 is proposed in path D (Scheme 28). This proposal involves an endocyclic diradical intermediate 81 arising from the initial attack of the terminal olefinic carbon onto the central allene carbon. The final ring-closure step of the diradical intermediates account for the cyclobutane formation. 

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